#some of them will have to be censored for spoilers

[lynelsscareme]

Love it when a joke comment makes for a great muse. Don’t so love it when it means I’ve had to make this many canvases…

[yasmeensh]

Anyone miss secret bombable walls only detected by tapping (or maps)?

[sateurn]

😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫

These sobs really limited my tags?????

I have so many more thoughts this is so so much less than 1/2. Broski. Big dislike

[loop-lover-central]

At least one(1) person asked for it. SO-

We'll start with some stuff from the isat spoiler Q&A

Let's get started!

-There is only one canonical straight shot timeline that technically erases the prologue from existence. When looping back the previous timeline is completely overwritten, like saving over your save file in a game! It's all gone! Despite this, when you start a new game you're making an entirely new Siffrin to torment. So at least you're not making the same Siffrin go through hell again and again! *sweeps Loop under rug* Don't look at that. Don't worry about them. They're fine.

-While wish craft and other craft types are described to have a smell, time craft does not! I mean, what would time craft even smell like anyway? Clocks???

-Mirabelle's time freeze immunity will wear off eventually!

-Loop could actually be still comfortable with He/They. While the time loops did put them through it, the They/Them was mostly for anonymity. But there WAS some sort of identity shift. So you can and should have fun with Loop pronouns. Do it! Do it!!!

-Despite the island being forgotten, it's still physically there the entire game and before that! So it being lost is purely anti-memetic fuckery. It is just censored out by the universe.

-Loop and Siffrin sitting quietly together was originally a bug where ID5 accidentally softlocked Siffrin and trapped him at the tree. They thought it was a sweet moment of respite and implemented it.

Let's Switch it up! Reddit AMA

-There was originally a love triangle between proto Mira, Isa, and Sif before Mirabelle was made aroace. It probably would have ended in an OT3/polycule situation. So QPR MiraIsaSif truthers out there, enjoy this one.

-The idea of Loop being Siffrin came about during saap's developement. Originally the guide for isat was going to be one of ID5's ocs.

-Change God knows everything about meta because they are a God. Loop only gets a smidgen of meta knowledge, however.

-Loop's ability to see what Siffrin is up to works the same way their calls work! The farther Siffrin is, the harder it is. So Loop calls stop working past snack break 3, and Loop can barely see past the King.

-Isabeau wouldn't play video games. He touches grass.

-Siffrin was subconsciously inspired by Snufkin, from The Moomins. So we wouldn't have Siffrin as he is if everyone wasn't rabid over Moomins a few years back.

-Sadnesses ARE are a constant in the world of isat. They only become more common and poweful during times of great duress, like war or Insane False Monarchs with timey wimey powers

-The doppleganger wish in the selfcest book happened "a long time ago" and is only a child's tale now.

-Odile's name is her given name. Kinda. (No elaboration on what the fuck THAT means.)

-Siffrin only got memory issues after leaving home. They were not a forgetful child.

-At one point before they had names, Isabeau was just called "dude".

-While only called scrawny in game, Adrienne calls Siffrin "deathly thin". Metabolism monarch out here. (Probably all the casual wish craft.)

-The reason the party stops reacting to Sif's poking is just because it's tragic and makes things worse for him. That's it. The universe just hates him.

-Everyone but Odile would like rollercoasters.

-Just... this. This is so funny. Also Loop being the final boss while Siffrin is the secret final boss... Also Loop confirmed deity looking!!!

-"comic!siffrin is a whole different siffrin than game!siffrins sadly. rip to them. still stuck in time" WAY TO FUCK ME UP ON A MONDAY? Comicfrin is still stuck in time.

-The characters have official voice claims but not a single one is serious except for the King's. Mira sounds like Animal crossing isabelle(isa.belle. hm.). Bonnie sound like a inkling from splatoon (ID5 specifically used the female inkling as example). Odile sounds old. Isabeau quantum mechanically sounds flamboyantly gay or like All Might from MHA. Loop sounds like stock glitter sound fx. No Siffrin voice claim. Siffrin has video game protagonist voices which means they sound like whatever you want.

-Loop's glow is comparable to a lamp. Not enough to hurt the eyes.

Siffrin and Friends Q&A time!!(Beware these are SEMI-CANON)

-Siffrin isn't really a trap master. They're just fast enough to activate and dodge the traps.

-Odile doesn't like fennel.

-Fave flowers! Bonnie=Sunflowers, Odile=Orchids, Mira=Lavender, Isa=Roses, Siffrin=None, dubiously answered with dandelions however.

-Sif is a night owl, Bon and Mira are early birds, and Odile and Isa are average.

-Siffrin and Odile have probably eaten crabs and would tempt Bonnie with their sinful ways of consuming crustaceans.

-Odile has been traveling for about 2 years.

-Odile knows how to play a shamisen. It's one of her favorite instruments as well.

-When prompted with competition Loop and Siffrin stare each other down like "kids about to throw hands".

-Loop would like to eat a pastry if they could. GIVE THEM YOUR BAKED GOODS NOW!

-Kill the King day is a Tuesday.

And finally random trivia I found while sniffing through the wiki!

-Salty broths actual cure 6 cooldown, instead of 2 like the dialogue implies.

-Chateau means castle. The cursing of castle castle...

-The Change God face with six eyes and a cat-like mouth is inspired by ID5's oc Eye Gal

-The only time tears can freeze Siffrin with no warning is in saap. By using the second Star Crest to clear one of the rows of Tears, you can just walk into the second row and freeze.

-The dev's older notes mention specific shades being used for hair dyes but they're never mentioned in-game because of the an unadded event.

-In ACT 2, there's a small chance Siffrin says "Heheh… Bonk." when activating the switch for the rock trap

-Saap Bonnie thinks nuts are gross according to some unused dialogue, but enjoys raisins.

-During early development in saap tears were originally intended to be spike traps. A left over sprite of Siffrin being impaled does exist, including minor blood spurt. This was probably changed because it was a little too gruesome, ID5 definitely tried to reel in the darker concepts and has stated they went too dark sometimes.

-Loop turning back into Siffrin was considered long enough for them to get an entire animated walking sprite.

[dancingbirdie]

Okay so on Astarion, I was reading this fic about him not knowing Tavs true intentions with him and it bothering Astarion a lot, so what if he goes to some mage or magic user and asks them to show Tavs true intentions to him, when he does the vision he sees is just... being snuggled. It's Tav on top of him and the both of you are falling asleep, his hands are under your shirt softly petting your skin as your sleepy self is contently snuggled up to him. I just start crying about him finding out that Tavs DASTARDLY and EVIL plan with him, their greatest desire from him... is to simply be held. 🥺

Hi @goblin-creatcher! Thank you so much for this BEAUTIFUL prompt. I, uhh, kind of took it and went a million miles an hour with it. This is honestly one of my favorite things I've ever written. I hope you enjoy it as well! xoxoxo

Something Imagined / Something Real

Word Count: 3.9K

Rating: Mature

Pairing: Astarion x f!Tav

Warnings/Tags: Brief but detailed description of rough consensual sex, descriptions and references to Astarion's trauma/trauma responses, minor Act 1 and Act 2 spoilers, FLUFF, angst

Suggested Song Pairing: Slow Dancing in A Burning Room (Stripped) - cover by ST LUNA

Summary: Astarion has been suspicious of Tav’s true intentions toward him. He persuades Gale to cast a spell and reveal her motivations. ANGST and FLUFF ensue. A rewriting of Astarion’s confession scene from Act 2.

The sun had just begun to set on the campsite when Astarion decided to put his plan into action. He had waited until Tav departed with some of the other party members before making his way over to the wizard. Gale was too busy reassembling the bookshelf inside his tent to notice Astarion’s approach. It wasn’t until he gave a polite cough that Gale jumped and whirled to face him. 

“No, no, no,” he began all at once, hands raised in a sort of shooing motion. Astarion stared at him in confusion. “I can respect Tav’s indulging in your need for blood, but as I’ve said before: I taste terrible.” 

Astarion scoffed. “Charming. Actually, wizard, I was coming to request your aid in a different, though somewhat related, matter.”

“Really? Care to elaborate?” Gale responded, still somewhat wary. It wasn’t often he found himself alone with the vampire. 

“Testy, I see,” Astarion crooned teasingly. His knee-jerk response to people treating him like a monster, to behave in the most false saccharine sort of way. 

But he drew up short, censoring himself before saying anything else he might regret. He knew he needed to get on the wizard’s good side if he had any chance of getting the answers he sought. 

“I was hoping you knew a spell to reveal someone’s true intentions. Their… motivations for behaving in a certain way, so to speak,” he finished more seriously. 

Gale pondered the question for a moment before answering. 

“Hmm… yes, there is magic to determine that sort of thing… Although it’s been some time since I practiced it…” He trailed off, rubbing his chin in thought. 

“Why are you asking for such a thing?” he asked suddenly. 

Astarion had been prepared for this question, of course. No one did anything for free, no questions asked. He delivered his explanation perfectly, as he’d been rehearsing in his mind.

“One might say our dear sweet Tav and I have been growing a bit… closer these days, but I can sense a master manipulator when I see one. I just simply want to ensure their intentions toward me - toward the party - are true,” he replied with mock innocence. 

“Ah, yes,” Gale nodded. “I gathered as much when the two of you slipped away from the tiefling’s party a few nights ago.” 

“But,” he continued on,”I needn’t think you should worry when it comes to Tav. She seems about as transparent as they come. I’m sure any intentions she has toward you are true.”

Yes, but the best actors always mask their motivations behind innocence and transparency, Astarion thought to himself. I should know. I’ve been doing it for centuries.

After the party’s unfortunate meeting with that Gur in the Sunlit Wetlands, Astarion realized he would have to take potential threats from Cazador even more seriously. He wasn’t about to lose his freedom, not now that he finally had some small taste of it. 

It didn’t hurt to be more suspicious of everyone he encountered, even the sweetling Tav. Anyone could be an operative sent by Cazador, and the best ones would be as skilled as he was in the art of manipulation. It was well-known at this point that the person he’d grown the closest to on their journey was their brave party leader, Tav. Unlikely as it may be that she was scheming for his master, Astarion’s paranoia wouldn’t let him indulge in interactions with her a second longer unless he knew how she truly felt. 

Given Gale’s hesitation, Astarion knew he would have to kick his acting up a notch. Press on that wizard’s heartstrings. Touch the one nerve he knew he was sensitive to.

“Gale, darling, from one literally damaged soul to another, indulge me just this once,” Astarion beseeched him. 

The wizard glared at him a moment, before finally relenting with a heavy sigh. “Fine. Fine. But I want it known that I don’t agree with this so-called solution one whit,” he grumbled, pinching the bridge of his nose. 

“Yes, yes, noted and formally documented, on my word as a former Baldurian magistrate,” Astarion replied cheerily. “So, let’s hop to it then, shall we?”

“What, right now?” Gale asked, shocked. “Shouldn’t we be, I don’t know, a little less conspicuous?” 

“What better time than now?” Astarion responded. “Tav’s out gathering firewood with Wyll and Karlach. They won’t be back for some time. As for Lae’zel and Shadowheart, well…” he paused, gesturing over his shoulder. 

Said two were engaged in a heated sparring session on the outskirts of the camp. Snarls and curses could be heard emanating from both warriors as they tried, and failed, to gain the upper hand against their opponent.

“That lovers’ dance could go on until morning,” Astarion finished. 

“Fair point,” Gale admitted begrudgingly, grimacing at the sound of swords clashing violently. “Very well. Let’s get started.” 

Clearing his throat, Gale began to utter a series of phrases completely foreign to Astarion. He watched as the wizard began moving his hands in a wavelike pattern, forming a circle before them. Suddenly, a mist began to form from seemingly thin air, taking shape according to the boundaries Gale’s hands were creating. The mist grew more and more opaque until it appeared before them like a clouded mirror. 

As the fogginess of the ethereal magic began to clear, the “mirror” became a confusing blur of scenes whipping by, too fast for Astarion or Gale to really comprehend. There were flashes of Tav and Astarion, together and separate, but they disappeared too quickly to ascertain their context. It was as though the spell was shuffling through the entirety of Tav’s thoughts, assessing each one at breakneck speed. 

Finally, the spell slowed to a halt, stopping on one scene in particular. Astarion was struck speechless by what began playing out in the foggy portal before them. So distracted, he didn’t even notice Gale’s tight cough, or how the wizard suddenly became intensely interested in a copse of trees nearby, rather than the revelation the spell was revealing.

Not that the scene was especially profound, objectively speaking. In fact, to anyone else, it might be viewed as the least revelatory thing possible that the spell could have shown. Boring. Inconsequential, even. But to Astarion, it was almost earth shattering. 

He saw himself - he could see his face! - with Tav, lying tangled together in some immaculate four-poster bed. 

That was the first shock that coursed through him, nearly causing his knees to buckle. He was seeing himself for the first time in over 200 years. Or at least, he was seeing himself as Tav saw him. And… the person he saw… Well, he was gorgeous. White blonde locks, curled and tousled in a devil-may-care sort of way. A strong, patrician nose that suggested good breeding. High, sharp cheekbones. Full lips, upturned in a thoughtless grin. Red eyes bordered by long, sweeping lashes. Delicately pointed elven ears. Smooth alabaster skin, without blemish or spot. 

Astarion could scarcely believe his own eyes. 

The second shock to his system was the nature of their activities. He would have been less surprised had the vision shown them fucking. Him taking her roughly from behind perhaps. His name a cry of ecstasy from her lips as he pistoned in and out of her with a feral sort of determination. 

Fantasies of lust, of total domination, now those were things he was familiar with inspiring in the minds of the victims he had taken as lovers. It was what he strove for, in all honesty. Desire like that all but ensured he would capture his prey and live to serve another day for his master. 

But nothing of the sort was occurring between vision-Tav and himself. Instead, they were just… embracing? What in sweet hells was this?

She lay halfway on top of him. Her hair was mussed, perhaps from sleep or perhaps from previous lovemaking. One hand was drawing absentminded shapes across his chest, her lips trailing behind, leaving kisses in their wake. He watched as vision-Astarion chuckled softly, as his hands slipped beneath her sleepshirt to caress her waist, as he placed an innocent kiss on the top of Tav’s head. Eventually, she reached for his hand. They both watched their fingers intertwine, blissfully content.

It was the purest, unadulterated expression of affection that Astarion had ever seen. Something in his heart quaked at the sight of it. He wanted that moment. He envied, he hated, vision-Astarion for enjoying such apparent happiness.

So absorbed in the vision and its implications, Astarion failed to notice the soft padding of feet that indicated someone’s re-entry into the camp. 

“If the two of you are quite finished poking around in my head,” an angry voice suddenly spat from behind them, “I’d appreciate you preserving what little privacy I have left and shutting that damn spell off.”

Mortified, Astarion and Gale turned to see Tav, arms crossed and visibly seething with rage. Gale quickly dispelled the magic with a flick of his wrist. A blush was slowly but surely rising up Tav’s neck to reach her cheeks. Whether from rage or embarrassment, Astarion couldn’t be certain. 

“Tav, let us explain-” Astarion started.

“It was his idea-” Gale blurted at the same time, pointing at Astarion. 

Both paused, glaring at one another. But Tav would have none of their feeble attempts at backpedaling. 

“The explanation doesn’t matter. Whose idea it was doesn’t matter. The fact is that both of you violated the privacy of my mind, which I’ll remind you, has ALREADY been violated by having a bloody tadpole forced inside of it!” Tav shouted. At their words, the camp became enveloped in a heavy silence. Even the crickets ceased their chirping.

Astarion cringed inwardly, knowing the other party members could plainly hear this altercation and had likely stopped whatever it was that they had been doing to listen in. He noted the sounds of swords clanging together had ceased. He was certain Lae’zel and Shadowheart at least were aware of what was happening. Nosy bastards, all of them.

But what disturbed him even more was the realization that Tav’s eyes were welling with tears. She was too proud to acknowledge them or wipe them away. Such was her nature. But they were there nonetheless, and the knowledge that Astarion had brought her to the point of tears was enough to spur a rush of utter self-loathing inside him.

Without another word, Tav turned on her heel and marched stiffly out of camp, toward the direction of a nearby creek they’d identified as a water source earlier in the day.

“I can’t believe I let you convince me to perform that spell,” Gale said as she disappeared between the trees. He dragged his hands down his face. 

“How could we have been so doltish, forgetting that all of our privacies have already been violated with this tadpole business?”

Astarion didn’t have an answer to that. At least, not one the wizard could possibly understand. 

The thought hadn’t occurred to Astarion, he realized, because violations of privacy had been something so intrinsic to his being for over 200 years. He didn’t even recognize it as something abnormal. Like a fish unaware that the water surrounding it is, in fact, water. 

Violations of privacy were a part of life, at least for him. So much so that his request for Gale to perform that magic hadn’t even occurred to him as an overstepping of boundaries. To Astarion, it had simply been a matter of survival. He had needed to know another potentially manipulative person’s true intentions, and so he had found a means to uncover it and maintain the upper hand. 

Belatedly, he also realized that Gale’s hesitation to cast the spell had had nothing to do with being inconvenienced for the evening, but because the wizard had known that it was improper to do to another person. If he had misread that, Astarion wondered, then what other truly benevolent behaviors had he mistaken as pragmatic manipulation?

“I need to go find her,” Astarion murmured, clenching and unclenching his fists in an uncharacteristic fit of uncertainty. 

“Yes, you do,” Gale asserted. “We both owe her a sincere apology… if she’ll even accept it.”

“I’ll see if I can convince her to come back to camp,” Astarion replied, making to leave in the direction Tav had stormed off. 

“Wait,” Gale said, a hand on his shoulder. Astarion turned to meet his gaze. 

“Look, well, I’m obviously not an expert in healthy demonstrations of affection. But I do think it’s obvious from what you saw in that spell that Tav well and truly cares about you. In perhaps the purest way possible. Treat that carefully.”

Part of Astarion wanted to laugh aloud in utter hopelessness at the wizard’s advice. Someone cared for him? Truly and purely? No hidden games, no strings attached? Oh certainly, that wouldn’t be a problem for Astarion at all. Obviously, his 200-year existence as a master-manipulator-fetch-hound for a power-hungry vampire lord had perfectly prepared him to respond to this situation in a healthy manner. Obviously.

But all that was too much to reveal to someone he barely knew and too heavy to say aloud. Rather than giving some smarmy retort, Astarion opted instead to give a stiff nod and continue walking toward the edge of camp. He had no idea how he could make things right with Tav, but at the very least he could try. 

***

He found Tav sitting on a fallen tree near the edge of the creek bed. Her legs were drawn up to her chest, arms wrapped around them as she rested a cheek to her knees. In the waning twilight, she reminded Astarion of some misbegotten gargoyle perched on the roof of a temple, solitary and so very sad. 

Her ears twitched as she noted his arrival. Astarion wasn’t trying to be stealthy. On top of everything else, the last thing he needed to do was scare her. 

“Can I join you?” he asked softly, wincing to himself at the awkwardness of the question. 

The reality was that there was no way to broach this conversation without some stilted beginning, and he hated it. Navigating tricky conversations was normally something he excelled at. But as he was quickly finding, when it related to Tav, nothing in his past life had prepared him to respond to her well. 

“If you’d like,” Tav answered tonelessly. 

Knowing it was probably the best response he was going to get, Astarion swallowed thickly and moved to sit down on the log next to her. 

“I… wanted to… apologize for what you saw, back at camp,” he began.

“Apologize for doing it, or apologize for getting caught?” Tav asked as she turned her head to look at him, resting her other cheek on her knees. 

Astarion balked at the question. Her piercing gaze unnerved him. He hadn’t really thought that far. 

“Both, I suppose?” he answered honestly, although it sounded more like a question to Tav. She huffed a laugh.

“You know, part of me really wants to yell at you. Scream in your face. Tell you off proper,” she mused.

“So why don’t you?” Astarion asked, perplexed. 

Tav didn’t respond at first, just sat there studying him. As if by staring at him long enough, she could project the answer into his mind. 

Astarion didn’t interrupt her, much as he would have liked to. Part of him always bristled when people gazed at him for too long. It was unfair that they could study him, when he hadn’t been able to so much as glance at his reflection in over 200 years. 

Finally, Tav released a heavy sigh, her body curling further in on itself. She closed her eyes as she spoke.

“Because then I would be just like every other bastard in your life who’s mistreated you.”

Astarion flinched in surprise. Those had not been the sort of words he’d been expecting. The truth of them cut deeper than had she raged at him like she wanted to. It left him feeling even more vulnerable, and that in turn made him want to retreat into the comfort of viciousness.

“I don’t need you to pull any punches,” he scoffed, glaring at her. “Go ahead and say what you will.”

She straightened up at his tone, opening her eyes and returning his glare. 

“No. I don’t want to,” she said testily.

“I don’t need your pity,” he hissed. “It’s insulting.”

“Gods damn it all, Astarion!” Tav exclaimed suddenly, causing him to jump in surprise. She threw her hands up in defeat. “I’m not doing anything out of pity! I don’t want to rage at you, because I know that whatever I say right now, I won’t mean it come the morning!”

Astarion blinked. Once again he was left feeling flat footed by the turn of the conversation. Sensing his surprise, Tav continued on with her deluge of words.

“You hurt me tonight, and I’m angry at you - and at Gale, for that matter - for what you did. But you’ve shared enough of your… history… with me, that I realize your behavior is just… just a byproduct of centuries of abuse and manipulation you’ve endured! And I won’t be another abuser in your life. I won’t,” she asserted. 

Astarion continued staring at her, as if she were some otherworldly creature that had just wandered across his path. He watched as Tav inhaled a deep breath, releasing it shakily. She turned away from him to peer out into the forest, uncertain. She opened and closed her mouth several times before actually speaking. As if whatever she was about to say was more intimidating to her than anything else she’d said tonight. 

“I… care deeply for you, Astarion,” she said quietly. “You obviously saw that in the vision. I’m not playing any games. There’s no hidden motive. I’m not trying to manipulate you.”

She turned to look at him again before continuing, her breathing a bit unsteady. 

“I didn’t sleep with you that night of the tiefling party as some sort of maneuver to gain your trust. Although I understand if that was your motivation for doing so.” 

Astarion’s expression morphed into one of guilt. But Tav nodded soberly, as if she had already expected it, before continuing on. 

“It’s okay. I’m not angry. But I’m putting all my cards on the table now, so to speak. Actually, your decision tonight forced my hand, but I had been planning on telling you soon anyway. So, there you have it. The truth of my intentions. What you do with that information is up to you.”

She turned back to gaze out at their surroundings. Like she was giving him the opportunity to bolt away without her watching him. As if she expected him to flee from her confession. 

But Astarion didn’t flee. He remained seated, staring at her in complete wonderment. 

“Why?” he asked quietly.

She looked back at him again, confusion evident on her face. 

“Why what?”

“Why do you care for me? You’re so… well-adjusted. And I’m well… this,” he finished lamely, placing a hand on his chest. 

Tav pursed her lips. “It would be a mistake to misconstrue my empathy for you as me being well-adjusted. Everyone has their own demons, Astarion,” she murmured. “Mine just look different from yours.”

Astarion mulled her words over in his mind, considering them. He leaned forward to brace his forearms on his knees, his head drooping slightly. 

“I…,” he started, unsure. “That vision… what it implied… You deserve something real, Tav. You’re incredible… truly.” 

Tav closed her eyes, bracing for the fallout. Even though she would accept his decision, whatever it was, she didn’t think she could bear to watch him deny her. It would hurt too much. 

“Look. When we met, I had a plan. A nice, simple plan,” he blurted all at once. Rising swiftly to his feet, Tav watched as he began to pace before her, near to bursting with frenetic energy. 

“Seduce you, sleep with you, manipulate your feelings so you’d never turn on me,” he counted off, laughing half-heartedly. “It was… easy - instinctive. Habits from two hundred years of charming people kicked in. All you had to do was fall for it. And all I had to do… was not fall for you… which is where my nice, simple plan fell apart,” he finished, stopping to stand before her. 

She held his gaze, speechless. 

“I want you,” he whispered fervently. “I want what was in that vision… I want us to be something real.”

Never in a million years had she thought he would respond to her like this. She opened her mouth to speak, but Astarion cut her off with another sudden exclamation. 

“I just don’t know what real is,” he confessed, his tone a touch hysterical. Tav knew from his body language that being this transparent was completely out of Astarion’s comfort zone. 

“Being… close to someone - any kind of intimacy - was something I performed to lure people back. For him. Even though I know things between us are different, being with someone still feels… tainted. Still brings up those feelings of disgust, and loathing. I… I don’t know how else to be with someone. No matter how much I’d like to,” he finished, staring at her with beseeching eyes, willing her to understand.

Tav rose to her feet, coming to stand before him. 

“I don’t want you for your body,” she whispered. “Or to perform any acts of intimacy. We can be together, without sleeping together, for as long as you need.”

“Really,” he asked softly, his voice pitched low, rough with emotion.

“Really,” Tav asserted, giving him a small smile. “Would it be all right if…” she paused, conflicted. He eyed her curiously.

“Could I hug you?” she whispered.

The fact that she asked before doing so caused a well of emotion to spring up inside him. Eyes watering, Astarion nodded. 

Slowly, Tav moved forward to wrap her arms around his waist. Her head nestled into the crook of his neck and shoulder. A perfect fit. He felt her exhale a deep sigh.

Tav hugging him was a sensation unlike any he had ever felt. At least, any he could remember feeling. The act of being touched, embraced, without any desire for something more. She just wanted to hold him, feel him close to her. It was incomprehensible to him, but utterly enjoyable, at the same time. 

Slowly, ever so slowly, Astarion raised his arms to return Tav’s embrace. Drawing her even closer, he bowed his head to rest his cheek against her hair. It was soft, like the finest silk. He closed his eyes as he inhaled deeply, appreciating her sweet, floral scent.   

She made to pull away after a moment, not wishing to overwhelm him. But Astarion gripped her more firmly, a silent urge for them to stay that way a little longer. 

“This… this is nice,” he whispered. 

He both felt and heard Tav hum contentedly in response. 

It wasn’t identical to the vision from Tav’s mind that he had seen, but Astarion reveled in their embrace nonetheless. It felt like the beginning of something new. And for the first time in his very, very long life, Astarion felt excited at the prospects of what would come next. 

[nyerus]

A Masterpost for the Revised Version of TGCF

Due to the amount and frequency of misinformation about the revised version of TGCF, I wanted to make a post to serve as a resource for those who are confused about it, while also helping to debunk some of the sensationalist rumors floating around.

This post will be edited to include new things as needed.

⚠️Spoiler Warning: if you have not finished reading the original novel, or want to experience the new scenes from the revised naturally/fresh, please proceed with caution! I've intentionally kept things as vague as possible, but some spoilers are unavoidable!⚠️

✨ PART ONE: Frequently Asked Questions ✨

🔹What is the "revised" version of TGCF?

MXTX had been working on a revised version of TGCF since completing the original, as mentioned this in her postscript/afterword, and in an online interview (Q.27) done years ago just as she competed TGCF. That's all that was known for several years.

In early 2023, TGCF was finally released in print format in mainland China — and this was revealed to be the revised version! Due to regulations, this was a censored edition. However, in early 2024, the uncensored edition was uploaded to JJWXC (the site where all of MXTX's webnovels were originally published)! It's currently fully available to read in Simplified Chinese.

If you want a more in-depth explanation about the revised, please see my post about that here.

🔹What does the revised change compared to the original?

Several scenes have been added, some removed, others expanded upon. Overall, MXTX reportedly wrote 100k characters (words) of new content. While the overarching plot of each arc and the novel as a whole remains the same, it's a more cohesive and polished story. Pacing in each part of the story has been adjusted to flow better, especially in arcs notorious for feeling slow or disjointed.

Some segments have had fairly significant changes — namely the Bloody Banquet/Fang Xin Guoshi arc. (Though it still plays out much the same way.) Most others have smaller changes.

A new extra was also added, called "the Ghost King Dressed Down," which has been translated by Scarabsi on twitter.

🔹How does the revised version effect characters?

Apart from certain minor characters — such as the child Lang Ying who was removed entirely — there haven't been many drastic changes. The biggest thing was side characters like Lang Qianqiu and Ling Wen being given notably more backstory to further flesh them out. Their characterization itself hasn't changed, however.

🔹Which version is canon, then?

Whichever you want, and you can mix-and-match! MXTX has given fans her blessings and encouragement!

🔹How do I read the revised version in English?

Currently, there are no official or unofficial English translations of the whole revised version. Nor are there any plans to do so for the near future.

However, there are English fan translations of a few notable chapters, which you can read here. There's also instructions on that site on how to read the rest of the updated webnovel in English, using a browser extension.

Additionally, the audio drama is adapting the uncensored revised version, and has been doing an amazing job! Check out how to listen to that with English subs here.

✨PART TWO: Debunking Rumors & Clearing up Misinformation✨

Note that all chapter numbers given will be referencing the webnovel's. The old chapters are also available towards the bottom of the page as "serialized versions."

(Translated screenshots provided are janky because it's just basic google MTL!)

🔸"Mentions of Mu Qing's mother was removed from the revised!"

Not at all! Both his parents are still mentioned, along with how Mu Qing is the primary breadwinner due to his mom's failing eyesight. (Ch. 57)

🔸"The earring scene isn't there anymore!"

The earring scene is still very much there! Not actually sure why this is a rumor at all, when the whole earring thing spans several chapters. Here's the conclusion of it (Ch. 59):

🔸"Characters have been butchered in general, with Mu Qing especially getting scenes cut!"

No character (who didn't straight-up get deleted) has been butchered. Nor has any character been singled out for having their scenes deleted/changed, because that's happened to every character — yes, including Xie Lian and Hua Cheng! — and they also have new scenes added!

E.g. the scene where Mu Qing picks the cherries is removed, because that whole section was changed. (However, it's still mentioned that others are prejudiced against him due to his background, and so on.) Meanwhile, there's a brand-new scene that shows Mu Qing's aptitude in treating wounds, as well as he and Feng Xin having new hijinks as "junior officials" with Xie Lian, and more.

Despite the rumors, characters haven't been flattened to make them more one-dimensional compared to Hualian. Perhaps the idea of certain scenes being cut sounds scary for characterization, but a lot of the original has been retained one way or another. In many cases, MXTX just condensed things, or moved them around. The revised is meant to be looked at as a whole, after all.

🔸"Mu Qing now leaves for no reason in Book/Arc 4, instead of for his mother!"

Mu Qing clearly states in the revised that he wants to leave in order to find a way to improve their situation, since they anyways cannot agree amongst themselves. Just like in the original, he was frustrated and felt there was no point in continuing along the same path. (Ch 152)

And yes, he does not bring up his mother in the revised scene. For context: there is a three year gap between the end of Book/Arc 2 and the start of 4. Which means in the original, Mu Qing didn't mention his mother for those three years. Given the events leading to his departure, and what follows, this causes several inconsistencies.

That is a whole topic unto itself, however. But it's not surprising the revised did it a bit differently.

🔸"Feng Xin isn't as funny anymore!"

Feng Xin is actually one of the least changed characters! This rumor likely stems from the scene where Xie Lian reveals his password, to Feng Xin, who no longer rolls on the floor while laughing. Or maybe it's a miscommunication based on the printed revised, which censored some of his (and Qi Rong's) cursing. But that was only for the printed!

🔸"Ling Wen's character isn't as interesting because of the changes!"

People will really say anything on the internet. She's been given more depth and complexity, if anything. There's new scenes that expand on her background and early days in heaven, and her relationship with Bai Jing has been given a lot of extra attention. Her motivations and actions remain the same, but if the subtext was missed in the original, it could have led to some readers thinking of Ling Wen as certain way. Like a ruthless girlboss.

The revised reiterating that this isn't the case doesn't change or detract from her, as that was one of the points of her story to begin with. Plus, the revised arc gives Bai Jing much-needed characterization.

🔸"Ling Wen's ascension is now due to Jing Wen/not on her own merit/etc!"

Frankly, this rumor might be due to people not properly understanding how ascension works in TGCF, and thinking the revised is adding something that they forgot was already in the original. The revised didn't change anything about the manner in which Ling Wen ascended.

You can actually check out the revised Brocade Immortal arc here for yourself, as it's been fan translated!

🔸"The dynamic between Hualian is different in the revised!"

Their dynamic is exactly the same as before, only reinforced if anything. If the new additions are enough to destroy someone’s image of Hualian or turn it on its head, that’s definitely not a fault with either novel version!

🔸"The scene where Hua Cheng is disguised as Lang Ying and accidentally catches Xie Lian bathing is removed!"

Unfortunately, yes, the bathing scene is gone. However, Hua Cheng in disguise is still there — he's a village kid instead.

🔸"MXTX made changes to side characters/ships because she felt threatened by their popularity compared to her main couple!"

This one just doesn't really make sense, because several side characters were given *more* content — including their relationships.

Lang Qianqiu finally feels like an actual character. Quan Yizhen and Yin Yu have new stuff about them. Shi Wudu has some clever little cameos. Pei Ming’s feelings about Yushi Huang are brought up. Pei Xiu’s backstory is even more heartbreaking. Qi Rong has new scenes that make him feel genuinely menacing. Xiao Ying’s been completely revamped. These are just to name a few, and excluding things already talked about above.

It seems unlikely that MXTX would go through the trouble of adding to her side characters if she didn’t care about them, felt they weren’t important, or thought they were getting undeserved attention. Besides, popular characters like Shi Qingxuan and He Xuan had no cuts to their arc!

Looking at the actual metrics… MXTX has no need to feel threatened by her side ships vs her main ships.

[calcifermovesthecastle]

Sharing a Moment

Tooth Rotting Sanji Fluff. Hurt/Comfort. Whole Cake Island spoilers if you squint.

2460 ish words

Warnings: Panic attacks, mentions of past trauma, mentions of burns, mentions of Slavery.

This is actually an excerpt from my self insert one piece google doc, but I turned it into a reader insert. Character is afab, uses she/her pronouns, and is described with breasts. I do not shy away from "controversial" topics and do not censor any of my work. this does not mean that I condone or agree with the things that I write about.

This is what I do instead of therapy lmao.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sharp, uneven breaths pierce through the silence that surrounds you on the island. Your transponder snail sleeps peacefully on the ground, your hands trembling too violently to pick it up. 

Your head swims, and each new breath you take is shorter and sharper than the last. You squeeze your eyes shut tight, scrambling backwards on the forest floor. 

"I'm gonna find you, bitch!" The words aren't real, but they echo in your head nonetheless. You press your back up against the large tree you're under, clawing at the collar of your shirt around your neck. The night seems to close further in on you. 

You weren't lost. Not at first. You started out on the beach, picking through shrubs and bushes to resupply Chopper with some fresh herbs and plants. The rest of the crew's voices had faded away, dispersing in their own searches, leaving you alone in yours. The deeper you got into the woods, the darker it got, and the more anxious you felt. The more your mind began to race. 

Suddenly, you weren't a straw hat anymore. Suddenly, just like that, the shackles tightened around your neck and wrists, and your master calls after you, screaming all of the horrible things he'd do to you once you were found. 

Your transponder snail continues to snooze on the ground in front of you, a mocking reminder that you can call for help at any time, if you could just get out of your own head. 

"When I find you, I'm gonna gut you like an animal! You'll fucking wish you were dead when I'm done with you!" 

Oh, how you wish you would breathe quieter. Your head throbs and your vision swims, the lack of air and the blood pounding in your ears making you lightheaded. At this point, passing out seems like a blessing. 

"Do you want your hands set on fire again?! Or would you rather I stick them in boiling oil?" 

"No!" You manage to gasp out. You claw more at your shirt collar, ripping the fabric apart down past your breasts. A heavy, loud sob bursts past your lips, and all you can hear is your own rapid heart beat. 

Then, clear as a bell, you hear someone say your name. 

Your eyes fly open, chest heaving as you look around for the source, and stare up at Sanji, who's rounded the tree and is staring at you with eyes just as wide. Your voice gets caught in your throat, but your body almost buckles in relief. 

You cant seem to calm yourself down, though, and your throat constricts again, the ghost of that awful collar tightening around you. You pull your torn shirt even further away from you, your hands trembling so violently you have to grasp at it multiple times. 

Sanji crouches in front of you, shrugging his blazer off, not breaking eye contact once. 

"Sweetheart, would you like to go back to the ship?" 

You nod, bawling loudly. Sanji nods, never breaking his eye contact with you. He looks at you as if you'll run from him at any second.

"Okay, I'll take you home. I need you to calm down first, okay?" 

"I cant-" You choke out, taking another short, sharp breath in.

"Okay, I'll help you." 

Ever so gently, Sanji reaches out and pulls you close, resting his chin on top of your head. He takes your hands in his and squeezes, taking slow, steady breaths that you're supposed to mirror. It takes a few tries, but finally, your breathing returns to normal and your head stops swimming. Though you're still shaking, you're back to reality, and you know that you're okay. 

"Are you ready?" 

You had no idea Sanji's voice could sound so tender. Your lower lip trembles as you nod, and he gently pulls you to your feet, draping his blazer over your shoulders. 

When he pulls his hands away, you reach out to him, your voice breaking. 

"Don't go away." 

That's funny, you meant to say "Don't let go." Sanji's eyes widen briefly, but they soften just as quick, and he wraps his arm around your shoulders as soon as he's picked up your transponder snail and put it in the blazers pocket.

"I'm not going anywhere, Sweetheart," He says quietly. "I've got you." 

Slowly, he guides you through the woods back to the Sunny. You lean heavy on him, gripping the fabric of his blazer in your hands as tightly as you can to feel grounded. 

"Please don't tell the others," you whisper. Your eyes swim with more tears as shame blooms through your whole body. Sanji squeezes you firmly. 

"I wont. If they ask, I'll just say you got lost and called me to come get you." 

"Thank you," You rest your head against the side of his chest, listening to his heart beat. 

Another wave of relief floods your body when you finally land eyes on the Sunny. Sanji helps you up the first few rungs of the ladder, then starts climbing up after you. Once on board, you follow him to the kitchen, sitting at the table. 

He doesn't ask why, doesn't prod more information out of you, he just sets a warm mug of tea in front of you, ruffles your hair, and gets started on dinner. 

The warm lighting in the kitchen helps to soothe your frayed nerves, so you sip on the tea, mindfully taking slow, deep breaths. Sanji's company proves to be very grounding as well, so while he cooks, you slip your burn gloves off and stare at your hands.

Chopper has done a phenomenal job repairing some of the scarring. He's also helped you gain a ton of function back. But the flesh is still mangled badly, and the nerve damage is majorly irreparable. You can grasp and hold things, but your fine motor skills are gone. There's no getting that back. You open and close your fingers, grateful for the movement you have gained back. 

But the damage is still there. The pain of it is seared into the back of your mind forever. you frown, lost in thought. 

"Your tea is getting cold, d'you want me to heat it back up for you?" 

You jump, looking at Sanji with wide eyes. His eyes go from your face to your hands, and you can see his brow furrow behind his hair. He puffs on his cigarette and sits down next to you, reaching out and grasping them before you can pull away. 

Since they've been burned, nobody has touched your bare hands. You've always kept the gloves or bandages on, for fear that it would hurt too much otherwise, or trigger a bad reaction in you. 

But Sanji's hands don't do either. They feel cool, and the pressure is comforting. You stare wide eyed down at where your hands are, your heart stuttering in my chest. 

"You have beautiful hands," He says quietly. Your eyes fly to his face, but he doesn't look at you, he just studies your hands, turning them over in his own. 

"Don't lie," You whisper. It's barely audible, but he shakes his head. 

"I'm not lying. They really are beautiful." He says it with such conviction it makes your heart clench. 

"Look at you, you're fucking worthless, you pig bitch. You can't even serve me right with those fucked up hands of yours. Clean this fucking mess up and get the fuck out of my room so I dont have to look at how disgusting your hands look." 

"The scars on them don't mar the way they look," He continues. "They're quite striking." 

He sits and admires them for a few more minutes, and you stare at him, your eyes as wide as dinner plates, your face flushed red. 

You can feel butterflies in your stomach as he runs his thumb along one of the longer scars, humming. When he looks up at up at up at you, he smiles. 

"I guess I just never noticed." 

"Nobody," You whisper, for fear that your voice may break again. "Has ever said anything so kind about my hands." 

Sanji tilts his head, puffing on his cigarette. When he speaks again, his tone is tender. 

"Sweetheart, you should stop worrying so much. Nobody is ever going to hurt us again. Not like this." 

He squeezes your hands, ruffles your hair again, and gets up to check on dinner. 

Us?

Wait. Us?

"Sanji, what do you-" 

"Did you want me to reheat your tea?" He asks, as if he didn't hear you. You blink, glancing down at your cup. 

"Uh, sure. That would be really nice." 

Humming, he reheats your tea for you, then pulls some vegetables out. You put your gloves back on and pull his blazer tighter around your body. 

"Sanji?" 

"Hm? What is it?" 

"Could I have a cigarette?" 

He turns his head towards you, frowning. He sees how tense you are, how shaky your breath still is, and closes his eyes. 

"Just this once. These things are bad for you, you know." 

"I know," You smile slightly. He jerks his chin up once. 

"They're in the left pocket in my jacket. Just one, ya hear?" 

You heed his words, thanking him when he lights it for you. The first few puffs you take are followed by very harsh, loud coughs, but the next few burn less in your throat and lungs. It's a nice distraction. 

The rest of the crew still isn't back by the time you finish the cigarette, but you're not ready to be by yourself just yet, so you stay in the kitchen with Sanji. You finish your tea, and eat the food he puts in front of you, and when they're still not back after you've finished eating, you rest your chin in your hands and watch as Sanji continues to work in the warm yellow glow. By the time Luffy bursts in demanding dinner, you've fallen asleep at the table. 

"Hm? What's she doing here?" He asks, prodding at you gently. Sanji smacks his hand away, shooing him out of the room. 

"She got lost and called me to find her on the transponder snail. You get out and go sit in the lounge with everyone else for your dinner. She already ate." 

Luffy looks at you, frowning slightly, but concedes to letting you sleep for now. He bounds out of the room, yelling for everyone to go to the lounge so they can eat. 

You jerk awake sometime later, the shadow of a nightmare fading from your mind, leaving in its wake a sense of uneasiness and the deep seated need to not be alone. 

There is no light coming from the porthole, but the swaying of the ship tells you that we're back to sea. You stand up, steadying yourself with the table, and exit the kitchen. 

You hold Sanji's jacket tightly around you, climbing the ladder up to the crows nest. The smell of smoke tells you that that's where you'll find Sanji. 

Sure enough, he's standing with elbows resting on the ledge of the crow's nest as he stares out at open water, tapping his cigarette against the ashtray perched next to him. You walk straight over to him and wrap your arms around him from behind. 

He doesn't say anything, but turns slightly so he can wrap one of his arms around you. You press your ear against his chest, searching for his heartbeat. When you find it, you close your eyes and focus on it. 

For a while, the only noise is your breathing, his heartbeat, and the sounds the ocean makes. You're grateful for how expertly Sanji seems to handle you when you're at this low point, how he seems to know exactly what you need. How instead of fawning over you, he stays collected and steady and oh so kind and tender. You tighten your hold on him, closing your eyes. 

"I'm sorry," You murmur.

"What for?" He responds, just as quiet. You breathe out, tears welling up in your eyes. 

"Being such a fucking mess." Your voice breaks, and a quiet whimper escapes your throat for what feels like the umpteenth time tonight. "Sanji, everything came flooding back. I'm not strong enough to pretend I'm okay, and I don't know how I'm going to hide it from everyone. I don't want to be a mess. I don't want my past to control me but it does. Just when I think I've got a good handle on it, something triggers it, and I don't know what to do to stop myself from shutting down. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." 

His hand reaches up to stroke your hair as you cry, and after a while he pulls away from you, squeezing an arm in each hand and crouching to your eye level. 

"Sweetheart, you cant change what happened to you. And it's still so recent for you that of course you're going to have days where it's harder for you to feel normal. You're going to have days where it feels like it's all a dream, and you're still stuck in those shackles. I saw you, that first day. Remember?" 

You nod, weeping openly. 

"You may not think so, but you are doing so much better than you were. He cant hurt you anymore. Say it." 

"H-he can't hurt me anymore." 

"Again." 

"H-he can't hurt me anymore." 

"That's right. He can't. But it's going to take time, right? You can know that there is nothing he can do to get to you. You can know that you're free. But it's going to take time for you to believe it. That's part of healing. So don't be sorry for your bad days. We understand, more than you could ever know."

Something distant clouds Sanji's eye, but it's gone before it takes form. Weakly, you reach your arms out to him, asking for a hug. He pulls you close, careful not to hold you too tight. 

"He can't hurt me anymore," You blubber. You feel him nod. 

"That's right." 

"I'm safe." 

"That's right." 

"I'm free." 

"You're free, love." Sanji tightens his grip on you for a moment, exhaling. "Would you like to lie down in bed?"

"Mhmm" You sniff. Truthfully, you'd rather stay awake with him as long as possible, but your body is so tired that you know there's no fighting the sleep that's coming. "But please don't leave me all alone up here." 

"I'm not going anywhere," Sanji says. A sharp wind blows by, causing both of you to tense. You shrug his jacket off, holding it out to him. 

"Since I'll be under the covers," You say hoarsely, "I suppose you could have your jacket back." 

He laughs, taking it and putting it back on. "I'm honored."

You smile back, getting cozy in bed. Sanji watches you, turning back around when your head finally hits the pillow. It's not long until you're out, your soft snores falling on his ears while he watches the night sky.

[satsuha]

guide to team asano games!

this is a spoiler-free quick look at all* games produced by tomoya asano from 2012 onwards. all games on this list have voice acting in both japanese and english.

*not including mobile games, which includes various daylife despite it now being on consoles because i don't have enough experience with the game to speak on it.

genre: fantasy, adventure gameplay: turn-based rpg platforms: 3DS (original) and switch 2 (HD remaster) on june 5

the one that started it all! bravely default: flying fairy is a turn-based rpg with a rich story that uses unique battle mechanics: "brave" and "default" which allow you to use or accumulate BP to do multiple actions in one turn. it also features 24 "asterisks" or jobs that any of your characters can use for a huge mix of potential strategies

in terms of story, you follow the 4 main characters - tiz, agnes, edea and ringabel - throughout their journey around luxendarc to free the four crystals that will return light to the world.

with character designs by akihiko yoshida (final fantasy xii, xiv, nier series) and soundtrack by revo (sound/linked horizon of attack on titan opening fame), the game combines 3d sprites with beautiful 2d painted backgrounds, with an incredible soundtrack to accompany it.

why you should play it: if you're a fan of the classic turn-based rpg style, i highly recommend BDFF! it's an engaging story and the interactions between the main team is a lot of fun. the asterisk system and being able to adjust difficulty/encounter rates makes for a highly tailorable experience. why you might not like it: it's quite a long and difficult game, and can feel grueling at times. some story/character moments did not age very well and the series has famously had some parts censored overseas.

genre: fantasy, adventure gameplay: turn-based rpg platforms: 3DS

bravely second: end layer is the direct sequel to BDFF, with returning characters and the same region of luxendarc with new regions to explore. the gameplay is also the same with 30 asterisks in total, many of them returning from BDFF but with 12 new asterisks included. BSEL also adds chained battles, which are consecutive encounters that grant you boosted exp and rewards.

the story takes place 3 years after the end of BDFF, with new protagonists yew and magnolia joined by tiz and edea from the previous game. yew journeys to rescue agnes from the clutches of the glanz empire, a mysterious new force with a floating stronghold.

akihiko yoshida returns as character designer but the soundtrack this time is handled by ryo (supercell, composer of the one and only "world is mine" ft. hatsune miku).

why you should play it: it's more of BDFF, both in terms of gameplay and story! the new asterisks are a lot of fun and if you care about story continuity, you'd definitely want to play this one after BDFF. seeing returning characters in their new roles is really fun to see! why you might not like it: BSEL is more divisive in the community largely because of the story, which is somehow both goofier and darker at different parts. if you're a gameplay-first type of person this might not bother you, but note that the writing and music are often seen to be inferior to BDFF's.

genre: fantasy, adventure gameplay: turn-based rpg platforms: switch, steam, xbox one, PS4/5

octopath traveler is team asano's new take on the turn-based rpg genre, with BP returning as a similar but revamped mechanic compared to the bravely series. battles are focused around exploiting your enemy's weakness and "breaking" them to do massive damage. with 8 protagonists and 12 jobs in total, OT follows its predecessor in strategic possibilities with job combinations. each character also has unique "path actions", special ways to interact with every npc in the game.

OT has 8 protagonists with separate stories, which you are able to pick and choose when to progress as you wish. all of the travelers journey in pursuit of a goal - ranging from an adventure to find treasure to a lifelong pursuit of revenge throughout the land of orsterra.

character design and artwork is by naoki ikushima and soundtrack by yasunori nishiki, with both being most prominently known for their work on team asano's games. OT was also the first game to feature HD-2D graphics, a combination of classic pixel sprites and modern technologies to create an immersive experience.

why you should play it: again, i think fans of the turn-based genre would enjoy trying this game out! the boost and break system makes for exciting battles with an amazing soundtrack to accompany it. the different stories make for a varied experience, with the format allowing for a wider pool of character archetypes to have a story to call their own. why you might not like it: OT is sometimes criticized for lacking the character interactions between the protagonists that often form the heart of many other rpgs - while the travelers do interact, these are uncommon and have no bearing on the story. if you're someone who really values that kind of character interaction, you may find yourself underwhelmed by OT.

genre: fantasy, adventure gameplay: turn-based rpg platforms: switch and steam

bravely default II is the next installment in the bravely series, with an all-new cast and region and a familiar battle system. BDII's gameplay also focuses on the "brave" and "default" mechanics and 24 asterisks in total, with chained battles also making a comeback from BSEL. the protagonists all have the same base stats this time, allowing for even more flexibility. while the game is still turn-based, it now features an active time battle (ATB)-like gauge that determines when characters make their move.

taking place in the new land of excillant, gloria, a princess from the now-destroyed kingdom of musa, must journey with her companions seth, adelle and elvis to recover the four crystals of light that were stolen from her homeland.

naoki ikushima (octopath traveler) takes over the character designs while revo (bravely default) returns to do the soundtrack, with the new battle arrangements being a real standout. the graphics follow in BDFF's footsteps with 3d models in a 2d painted world - BDII also features an interactable overworld where you can encounter monsters and find items.

why you should play it: if you enjoy the battle system of BDFF and BSEL, this is a newly refined and polished version of it! battles are challenging but lots of fun and revo absolutely outdid himself with the ost. it features a touching story with similar twists and turns that made BDFF so memorable. if you've never played the 3DS bravely games, i think this is a great way to try out the series since this one is standalone! why you might not like it: bravely fans might not be happy with the fact that this is an entirely new entry with no connection to the existing world and lore. other than the lack of continuity the same drawbacks from BDFF apply, with the game sometimes feeling grueling at times - this is heightened by many the new counter ability that many new bosses have.

genre: fantasy, political gameplay: tactical rpg platforms: switch and steam

triangle strategy is team asano's first take on a tactical rpg, with HD-2D graphics returning in isometric form for an entirely different strategic gameplay. the game has you take charge of an army of 8 characters with 22 additional recruitable ones, and the gameplay has an emphasis on height and terrain conditions to spice up battles.

TRST follows serenoa of house wolffort in his quest to bring peace back to norzelia amongst the three warring nations. he is joined by his friend and the crown prince of glenbrook, roland, his fiancee frederica and the house wolffort strategist benedict. the player's choices can greatly impact the story as you test your sense of morality, liberty and utility to see the war through.

naoki ikushima returns to do the character designs (with in-game illustrations by tatsuaki urushihara) while the ost is composed by akira senju (fullmetal alchemist: brotherhood) for a more moody, dark overtone in the game.

why you should play it: fans of the tactical genre will find this a fun challenge! there are plenty of difficulty options to suit your preferences (even a "very easy" mode). the story structure made it one of the most immersive games i've played, with each choice feeling heavier as the game continues. why you might not like it: if you're someone who cares primarily about gameplay in srpgs, you might be put off by the amount of dialogue and cutscenes in the game between battles. each chapter has one battle and each route has up to 21 chapters, with story segments before and after every battle and additional optional stories focused on certain characters.

genre: fantasy (individual chapter genres include sci-fi, historical, western, martial arts and modern) gameplay: turn-based rpg platforms: super famicom (original) and switch, steam, PS4/5 (remake)

live a live is team asano's first remake in the HD-2D style, starting with takashi tokita's classic 1994 rpg! the game features a unique battle system with turn-based battles taking place on a 7x7 grid. each part of the game also features a couple of unique mechanics, depending on which character you control.

LAL's story is split into 8 parts, each taking place across different time periods and regions. each character has a unique goal and gameplay style, ranging from more battle-heavy chapters to one that is clearable entirely through stealth alone.

LAL's characters were originally designed by 7 different manga artists, the most prominent being gosho aoyama (detective conan) who designed the "twilight of edo japan" characters. composed by the legendary yoko shimomura (kingdom hearts, xenoblade, mario & luigi) who also returned for the remake, the new illustrations are done by naoki ikushima.

why you should play it: it's a fun twist on the turn-based rpg format, and the various chapters with different protagonists and vibes keeps the game new and exciting. it also features a story with some very interesting ideas, which all comes together at the end. why you might not like it: similarly to OT, both the gameplay and story can feel disjointed since each chapter is kept short and simple. being a classic game, it's also fairly short, with even a completionist run being shorter than any other game on this list.

genre: fantasy, adventure gameplay: turn-based rpg platforms: switch, steam, xbox one/series, PS4/5

the second installment in the octopath series, octopath traveler II is a new take on the original formula, with new characters and stories. the same battle system from OT returns with revamped jobs and 4 new "advanced" jobs in addition to the main 8. protagonists also have unique "latent power" abilities and an extra path action that can only be used during the nighttime to add extra flexibility and teambuilding possibilities.

OT2 follows the same story structure as the first game, with 8 individual stories but now features additional stories with certain travelers paired together as well as a dedicated epilogue. the range of stories is similar to OT, but characters are no longer stuck in a 4-chapter structure to better suit their journeys.

naoki ikushima (character design) and yasunori nishiki (composer) return for OT2, with the soundtrack now boasting additional nighttime versions of all overworld and town themes. the HD-2D style has also been improved to allow for more camera angles and animations.

why you should play it: whether you loved OT or found it a bit underwhelming, you will likely enjoy OT2's refreshing improvement on everything that OT laid the groundwork for, be it gameplay, story or graphics. since OT and OT2 are not connected, this is also a great way to get into the series as it offers a more polished octopath experience. why you might not like it: many of OT's original criticisms still apply to OT2, so if you're someone who's looking for a very close team relationship amongst the main cast then the octopath series isn't exactly the rpg for you. OT2 also has a grander scale than OT, so i have seen people prefer the first game for its more grounded protagonists.

genre: fantasy, adventure gameplay: turn-based rpg platforms: famicom, NES (original) super famicom, GBC, iOS/android, wii, PS4, 3DS, switch (remake) switch, PS5, steam, xbox series (HD-2D remake)

dragon quest III is the latest rpg to be remade in the HD-2D style, with DQ1&2 to follow later in 2025. this game is chronologically the first in the erdrick trilogy, and features classic turn-based gameplay with a few additions in the remake like battle autoplay and a new class.

the story follows the hero, child of the legendary warrior ortega, on their journey to defeat baramos after their father's disappearance and return peace to the world.

DQ3 features work from series veterans yuji horii (creator, designer), akira toriyama (character design) and koichi sugiyama (composer), who have been with the series since its inception. the HD-2D remake had its cover illustrated by naoki ikushima.

why you should play it: dragon quest is a series that has solidified many jrpg staples throughout the years, and the HD-2D remake is a great way to experience it yourself, with or without previous experience with the franchise. the world is charming and has plenty of content to keep you interested. why you might not like it: many of its aspects naturally feel a bit outdated if you're not someone who's used to older games, with its simpler story structure and UI/system that can sometimes feel clunky. while the story is a highlight of the game, characters in your team don't have personalities or interactions like many other rpgs, so that may be off-putting if you are a character-first type of gamer.

that's all for now! i tried to keep it brief but i don't think that worked very well (lol) i may add to this list as more games are released!

also this may be fairly obvious but most of the criticisms i mentioned are not my own, i just wanted to mention them since many of them do have a very vocal minority who have issues with the games.

i'm not a very gameplay-first type of gamer so i can't help too much on that front but feel free to ask me about any questions you have about these games!

[undead-cypress]

A few metaphor doodles and screenshots I either forgor or didn't think was worth separate posts. Also some language notes at the end

(the formatting of this post keeps getting screwy, bear with me for a sec)

Probably the first doodle back when I just started the game and the MP resource management was DIRE. Baby needs drugs

Started new game plus, but in Japanese so I can enjoy the puns. There's a few things that are specific to Japanese, like specific visual puns, formal/informal speech and honorifics that are untransferable but not much can be done about that. The English localisation is honestly spectacular. I'll put in a few notes about it after the read more below.

I'm also noticing a lot more little details, like the lines on that pillar is Maria's height chart - the letter that looks like n written on the pillar corresponds to M on the cipher they released with the OST

There are two mice at the inn at the beginning of the game even though I remember there being four by the end. Is it because Maria sees us as family at the end 🥺

Ok on the 2D sprite it's not as obvious but I'm just noticing on the 3D model that the lines under his eyes are eye bags. Are you doing ok buddy

Also, the ppl hunched over in the streets have fully modeled faces

POV: You're a Sanctist guard at the opera house who just watched your mage buddy get beaten to death by teenagers with sticks

Major spoilers below

9/24 lmao

And the two screens that sent me into hysterics at the endgame. Convenient censor bar will ALWAYS be funny

Notes so far on NG+ in Japanese (as of rn, just finished the Regalith Cathedral dungeon):

- Gallica kind of speaks like a kindly babysitter coaxing a child into doing their first tasks. Which is kind of exactly what she is. I've described it to people before as kind of like a children's TV show host? She uses "atchi", which is what really young girls use, or adult women mirroring young girls in children's TV shows use. Since she doesn't otherwise talk like a young girl and uses pretty complex vocabulary, it's much more of a kindergarten teacher vibe.

- Strohl has wildly swinging speech styles towards people he's casual with (Will, Maria, Fabienne), people he respects (exactly one person, Grius), and people he doesn't respect (literally everyone else). It's almost jarring how aggro he is in Japanese, because it just comes off as catty in English. Especially in the beginning when they're in a military setting, imagine if he just added "shithead" after every time he said the word "you" to everyone that's not Will and Grius. He also swears a lot. Like, a lot. Maybe I just didn't notice the first time because while "damn" and "bloody hell" are teeeechnically swears in English they don't register to me. Let Strohl say fuck!

- Grius sounds much more curt and reticent, less expressive.

- flashback Will and Prince doesn't have different accents, Will's voice is about half an octave higher than Prince

- Will has somehow avoided using "I" this whole time. Idk what personal pronouns they use. And unless I've somehow missed it, nobody has used a gendered third person pronoun for them either, everyone always just used the inputted name. Will also doesn't tend to speak in full sentences and trail in and out. Voice wise they sound pretty much exactly the same as in English. Incredible matching

- MORE USES BOKU. That threw me. I was expecting ware (hyperformal) or watashi (neutral). Boku is used by either young boys, or to show deference to someone of a higher age or social standing. More either thinks Will is older (impossible), of a higher social class (interesting), or he doesn't have a high self esteem (most likely).

- Hulkenberg has two modes: formal customer service mode, which is her out of battle mode. Even toned and gentle sounding, not really like English Hulkenberg at all. And then there's HYPERFORMAL BATTLE MODE where she swaps to using "waga" and sounds EXACTLY like English Hulkenberg. I suspect she'll be in this mode more and more as the game goes on. Her Jpn VA also does Yor Forger from Spy x Family, honestly that's perfect casting. Strongest baby guard of all time

- Zorba's voiced by Sugita (p5 yusuke, fe Chrom), so his voice is DEEP. No fun accents, but good evil cackling. Major win for the localization in this case because every English instance of an insult, be it "heathen", "vermin", "blaggard", "knave", "cur" etc was all just 貴様 (you, extremely derogatory) in Japanese. English Hulkenberg and Zorba gets real creative with it, but Strohl less even though he has probably used 貴様 the most out of anybody. They probably ran out of words he'd say after the first 18 times he used it.

- I'm not sure what title Louis has tbh because his followers just call him Louis-sama

- Louis sounds a bit more serious and less mocking but otherwise not much different in text.

- Rella sounded so much like Japanese Fuuka I looked it up and she IS! Welcome back 🤗

- some archetypes are named differently. Not really a big deal tbh. Warrior was Fighter, Mage was Magician, Brawler was Monk, etc. Mostly just to make them sound cooler in English.

- Another major win for the English localization is "horse drawn carnage" was originally just "horse strike".

- "peerless stonecleaver" though, was 断岩無双烈空斬 which, while it is literally what it means, has the vibes of what a kid thinks a cool anime sword move should be called. Idk how to articulate that better in English tbh

- The title for the lineage is written in Japanese kanji but the individual classes are in katakana, usually using loanwords, but even the Japanese titled classes like ninja and samurai are written with kana in classes.

Was also thinking that in English, everyone has British Isles accents except for Will and Gallica, and thinking maybe that was the in-universe Eldan accent? Until getting to the Sanctum and everyone there also had British Isles accents. Then you meet Agrica, who has the same accent. I must be forced to conclude: Will has a FAIRY accent.

I must also be forced to extrapolate: there exists countries outside of Euchronia with Australian, New Zealand, Newfie, Texan, Socal, Mid-Atlantic, Jersey, Cajun, etc, accents. That sounds so fun

[myvillainacademiafan]

Bones Studio Screwed Over The Meta Liberation Army So I’m Doing An Analysis To Complain:

(Slight Spoilers: Mentions of Season 7 and the Manga)

So, As the title suggests, I’m going to be complaining about Bones Studio and how they handle my favorite arc and my favorite characters and how basically they water them down where it’s kind of lame. As I have written this, This could change after written/posted. We’re on Season 7 and while they showed the very important battle of certain hackers. They missed an important part...

That is Geten and Mr. Compress talking in prison about Geten’s family being toxic. This was an important part to not only Dabi’s backstory to reveal the harmful ways the Himura family bred for improved and better quirks, but also important to Geten’s story as well since this revealed, Geten is related to Dabi. They removed that scene even though this involved Dabi is loved by fans. This is truly beyond me since I believe it was a crucial part of the story. In my personal opinion, I believe it’s a personal hatred of the Meta Liberation Army on Bones’s part…

Which is why… I’m making this post, talking about everything Bones Studio did wrong with the MLA Arc and the Meta Liberation Army, why this makes me angry, and the created differences between the Manga to Anime.

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How Bones Studio Handled The Meta Liberation Army Arc:

This is an arc I absolutely love and is one of my favorites, Even in the anime it’s still my favorite. HOWEVER, I can’t forgive them for what they done to it. I personally believe that if the arc was animated properly and included the scenes missing, The MLA would have been almost as popular as the other villain groups and a lot more fans would be on board with them. Have you seen the merch for the MLA it is very little and usually exclusive to Japan. Now you must be thinking but “Myvillainacademiafan, They cut a lot of those scenes out to make it work for the anime!” I’m aware you gotta make room for time and other purposes. I’m aware some scenes don’t seem relevant. And yes, I’m aware some scenes might be inappropriate for a TV-14 rating. I “MAY” have forgiven them if it was only like a couple of times. BUT THERE WAS OVER A DOZEN SCENES CUT OUT, CHANGED, CENSORED, AND MORE. At that point, you might as well either create a new story with the amount of changes and bonuses made. Now let’s get to the changes…

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Re-Destro’s Introduction And The Proper Introduction Of The Army:

In the Manga, instead of the introduction of the Meta Liberation Army being the call with the League of Villains in the episode “My Villain Academia”. It’s actually when the UA students are hanging out and a certain commercial comes on the tv. It’s Re-Destro advertising for his company Detnerat. The commercial shows how the company is to help people in society with mutant like quirks or abilities live in the world easier with the help of their items. (I would also say that in a way, whether his company or the army, he wants citizens to live freely with their powers and this commercial was a perfect way to show that). After the commercial plays, it turns out it was being watched by Re-Destro and his assistant as well. (they don’t even reveal his assistant in the anime. Rip Miyashita for not getting an anime adaptation…)

The two talk for a bit when suddenly Re-Destro lets the word “Meta Ability” slip. Miyashita questions this and this was a perfect time to advertise Destro’s book “Meta Liberation War”. While he was hoping the assistant would be on board of the Meta Liberation Army, Miyashita however wasn’t convinced and saw this book as harmful and Destro nothing but a “Ranting Criminal” So with a slight uncomfortable and chilling scene, Re-Destro makes sure the man didn’t have any close loved ones before cracking his neck. After doing so, He expressed not only disappointment in Miyashita disliking the book and insulting Destro, but mourned the loss of the life taken…

After this we get the familiar scene we got with Re-Destro walking in to the lieutenants of the army to talk about their updates of the league in the episode “Revival Party”…

Why Removing This Scene Was Wrong And Makes No Sense:

While starting with the call for the League Of Villains is good at giving Re-Destro a mysterious feel to him, I believe you still would have gotten the same even if you included the original scene. Not only that, but it gives Re-Destro some unpredictably with how he’s going to react when you insult basically his lively hood. The commercial was a smooth and charming introduction of the character himself and having him talk and introduce the book was an excellent way to introduce the reader/viewer to the next arc. The murder of Miyashita was also an excellent way to introduce the threat and uneasiness of the Meta Liberation Army and what’s to come, Especially since it perfectly transitions to the fight with the ice villain fighting Shoto and Bakugo and that the villain was using Detnerat products. (Revealing panels later that Detnerat also helps villains in the black market as well)

In the anime, nobody is going to understand the ice villain and why his weapon was destroyed after he was caught because the manga explains better with the context. People were confused at first on Slidin Go’s sudden appearance and relevance to the story, (however, that could be a fault on both ends). When you go straight to the phone call for the introduction and appearance of the army. A lot of people were confused on who the hell those guys were anyways. So, instead of seeing them along the story and getting excited to see them finally go into action when the League of Villains do fight in Deika City. You’re left a bit confused with the anime…

AND SPEAKING OF CONFUSION, Is anyone going to talk about Giran in this?…

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Giran’s Sudden Kidnapping In The Anime:

While both the anime and the Manga don’t reveal how Giran got captured in the first place. The Manga added a bit more understanding compared to the anime. Before they show Giran in the Manga, We cut to the Meta Liberation Army talking with each other about Re-Destro’s black market items. (Which was played exactly after the ice villain was arrested. Literally a perfect transition and explanation on to the MLA as a threat and why everything happened the way it did) To which Skeptic told Re-Destro their “Guest” has arrived. We see Giran being dragged in by two body guards. And while the army has tried to beat and threaten the information out of Giran. He refuses to sell out his clients/League… And then after that we cut to the introduction of Gigantomachia like how we have in the anime.

…For the Anime, He’s just already there… He’s already Kidnapped, tortured, and had his stuff recovered while looking sad… Where’s the stubborn refusal and where’s the context on the anime’s part? While I guess it could be forgiven, they went easier on Giran in the anime given that his bruises are a lot more tame compared to the manga. It’s just confusing to have him suddenly there with not really any context. BTW, in the manga, they LITERALLY showed Giran’s fingers being placed around the areas the League has been. The anime really cut down the gore for that. (Not to mention the small dialogue revealing Skeptic got the information from Giran’s files after he thought he deleted them) Anyways, It’s just giving me earlier Mario games where you hear Princess Peach is kidnapped but they don’t show it. At this point, I feel like Re-Destro is going to tell the League “Their Broker is in another castle.”

The Mistakes With The Beginning Fight Of Deika City:

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I’m not going to go over the missing details with the League of Villains and such because this post is talking about the Meta Liberation Army. So here’s a list of missing mistakes until we get to the major big con of the anime again (While these are not really a big deal, I felt it would have been more cool if they kept these)

*After Trumpet welcomes them to the Revival Party and the fight begins. We see several shots of security cameras around the city. In the anime, They usually show the security cameras like once or twice. (While I can understand this being cut out. It’s a way that not only shows this is being recorded and that the citizens of Deika City are constantly watched. But it is also implying the incoming threat of Skeptic)

*Theres a shot of a hero trying to stop a worker from heading in Deika City area and Re-Destro talks about how it’s a city in a far away place covered with trees, Explaining it’s a perfect place to lay low in. (This one is understandable too and anime fans may already get the point. It’s still a way to show how the MLA haven’t got caught yet)

*The small dialogue removed from citizens/soldiers defending the army (Personally. I like them all to have a word. It just makes it more lively).

*The gore and violence being toned down. (I’ll talk more about, this but Bones Studio tends to have this thing where they either tone down certain things, Go off screen, they even clean them of blood. I understand it’s for TV-14 but if you’re going to develop the manga. Develop it right.)

And Finally, How they handled Curious’s Death which is my next topic…

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Curious’s Death And How It Had Much More Effect In The Manga:

From what I described in the little difference above after Trumpet introduces the army and the fight with Curious, There wasn’t a lot of major changes to complain about (I still will though) However, one thing I found specifically interesting is Curious’s death and how it was almost completely brushed away in the anime…

In the Manga, When Curious fell down it was brutal. They did not shy away from hiding the bodies dropping to the ground. After her death and Toga finding the shed to hide in. We cut to Re-Destro talking about Curious’s death and mourning her as Skeptic comes in. We see Re-Destro actually cry at the loss of Curious. Which brings me to the next part of this topic…

How The Lieutenants Handled Curious’s Death In The Manga:

While neither the Manga or anime showed Geten’s reaction to the news, The Manga showed how Re-Destro, Skeptic, And Trumpet handled the news of their comrade.

As I mention, we seen Re-Destro cry. He has cried TWICE. And yet, Bones Studio decided to cut those scenes out! (It’s like they don’t want Re-Destro to show emotion) But removing this was such a huge waste to his character because having a villain that cares so much about his subordinates is so rare to see these days and while we know he cares, It’s good to see this.

Now back on subject, Skeptic then talks about how they can’t use the footage of Curious’s death because “Toga isn’t a good fit for the tragic lead of narrative they’re pushing” Giran asks about the footage and Skeptic lectures and nags Giran about being stupid and to ask properly. Just like with Re-Destro’s scenes, Removing this is also a waste since it shows Skeptic’s character and behavior that could have been entertaining in the anime. (I will go over how they toned down Skeptic’s character in the next topic)

After, Skeptic goes on his tirade, Giran questions the MLA, and Re-Destro remains determined, We cut to the scene of the league fighting (It’s the same scene we see after Toga kills Curious however with a twist) Trumpet comes in on his political van and announces some tragic news. He announces the death of Curious and the soldiers/citizens are distraught. Trumpet uses his words to let them know of Re-Destro’s wishes and to fight harder making the crowd even more determined and angry, A harder challenge for the League of Villains.

Obviously with the anime, Curious just dies and nobody says anything about it. Removing those scenes is also a wasted opportunity because Bones isn’t showing how the lieutenants value one another, They don’t show the effect on everyone and how it would make the MLA fight harder after the league killed a valued member. It also makes it look like they just don’t care that she was killed to begin with. She just dies and we’re done. If Anime!Curious was in the afterlife watching them move on just like that, I bet you she would be fuming…

While Geten’s and Dabi’s fight remains the same, As we move on. There is some slight differences we notice with one Lieutenant with the Manga compared to the anime…

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Skeptic Being Toned Down In The Anime:

(Btw we never got this scene with the manga, Below is merch. While I love the art, I find it frustrating he was never seen animated like this) Anyways, while I’m aware this one isn’t really too much of a big deal and I’m happy to see Skeptic anyway I could since he is my favorite character, I believe Bones Studio toning down Skeptic really effects his character and removes the charm from it. It’s like Bones studio shoved chill pills down his throat.

For the manga, we get almost the same scenes we have from the end of “Revival Party” and the Beginning of “Sad Man’s Parade” Despite some subtle and not too much of big deal things, it’s a bit noticeable that Skeptic’s attitude is toned down. We talked about the reactions of Curious’s death, there was a scene cut out between Giran and Skeptic. Bones Studio has removed his nagging moments. (They removed another scene with him nagging at Slidin Go after the war so it just seems like Skeptic was always watching and collected. Interesting way to go at it but where’s the spice, You know)

But throughout his thing with Twice in the manga, Skeptic’s movements and behavior was slightly more chaotic. His poses were more backbreaking and animated yet his dialogue stayed similar to his character (And how it is in the anime). It was a way of showing that Skeptic doesn’t care how he acts, he’ll do whatever he wants and get the job done.

One more scene was cut out and as a Skeptic fan, It really frustrated me and that’s when he uses his quirk in action. After we get Twice becoming stronger, Skeptic telling Re-Destro he didn’t fail, the League fighting hard, and Dabi and Geten fighting (All which we have in the anime) We cut to Twice trying to clone Toga to do a blood transfusion. One of the Twice clones gets knocked back and they see that it’s one of Skeptic’s anthropomorphs to which soon… More start appearing! We see Skeptic looking insane and determined as he began to make multiple clones, commanding them all to go after Twice and capture him as he began to run after him. He was determined to capture himself because Skeptic “did not” fail.

Bones removing that scene was ridiculous because not only would that given Twice more of a challenge and show that the MLA will get their hands in there if it means success, but it also takes away showing how Skeptic’s quirk works in action. Having the scene removed and he’s just out in battle is a little strange, Like he’s just roaming and standing around? That isn’t like his character at all, he would take action! We finally got to see how his quirk works in season 7, however it was a little late when it should have been included in Season 5 to begin with… It would have been so cool to see the animation of the anthropomorphs forming and Skeptic running through the city madly and it would have been so cool to see the nagging scenes animated. (Think of it like Deku’s mutter scenes. But instead, It’s an a slight creepy nag with a dark background and the words “Nag” popping up haha)

And there is several times where Anime!Skeptic was toned down more compared to Manga!Skeptic however this is talking about the MLA arc so that’s a complain for another time probably…

Before we got that scene with Skeptic running after Twice, Most of the scenes are pretty much similar to the anime (With a scene from Hawk being placed in the middle of the MLA fight instead of earlier in the anime. That’s the only thing I will agree with for the anime’s decisions.) But one detail was also changed strangely that I also can’t help but notice…

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Regards Of Re-Destro’s Relationship With Destro In The Manga Vs Anime:

I don’t know what Bones Studio was thinking when they decided to make this choice, But in the anime Re-Destro claimed and was heavily hinted to be Destro’s son, when all actuality and in the manga, Destro is just his ancestor. There is so many reasons wrong with this and why this couldn’t work.

First of all, the time of Destro being alive wouldn’t work with Re-Destro’s because this was a time quirks were starting to appear and this was a time All For One was starting to make his ways in the world of villainy and All For One is confirmed to be over a hundred years old. (If Re-Destro was Destro’s son then he would be so old and wrinkly at this point of time… Or dead because how?)

Second, It’s just incorrect. It’s not true. Destro is just an ancestor to Re-Destro, Not his father. And when you talk about Re-Destro and Destro to fans who only seen the anime, They get confused when told Destro is actually an ancestor to him and not a father. At this point, If Bones Studio is mixing up the characters’s information. We should too, why not make AFO Shigaraki’s Biological father or make All Might related to Mineta. Because it’s fun ig!?! (Obviously people can have their headcanons, I have mine too! But when a whole studio is just getting information wrong, It’s just annoying)

@Stillness-in-green made a very good post talking about this and explains it much better then I could. So definitely check that out!

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More Minor Mistakes Before We Talk About The Final One:

*More dialogue from citizens/soldiers missing. (I already explained why this annoys me)

*Some dialogue between Trumpet and Spinner was removed. (Especially since it helps with Spinner’s character development and trimming while still works in the anime in terms of understanding and plot is still frustrating to manga readers)

*A scene of Slidin Go blocking a van from entering at the outside of Deika City when suddenly loud booming noises are heard and the hero mistakes it for earthquakes (While not really a big deal or a must have scene. This would have given Slidin Go more on screen moments… Maybe where he wouldn’t be forgotten).

*A scene/panel of a page from a children’s book talking about being kind to those with Mutant based quirks. (While also not a must, It would have been cute animated. Plus it would have been very funny if that plays after Trumpet gets offended to be compared to Spinner).

*Even though I said I wasn’t going to talk about the scenes missing with the league, this one I will. There’s a scene/panel with young Shigaraki looking on at a mysterious man leaving as his mother bows in apology. (If you’re caught up in the manga, You would know why removing that scene was a big mistake. Once again, Bones Studio picking and choosing what they want to add or not. I had to point this out because that’s what they did with this whole arc.)

*They removed Spinner clinging on Trumpet’s political van as Trumpet tries to reach Re-Destro, Basically clinging on to the van as it drives. (Suppose Spinner just ran over there quick in the anime)

*Re-Destro’s Claustro slowly breaks down in the manga. (Not much to complain. It just would have been cooler animated like that)

*And finally the last thing to complain about is the gore… Or less gore in the anime…

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Bones Studio Censoring The Gore Of The Meta Liberation Army Arc:

When people complain and talk about the comparison of censorship between the manga and anime of My Hero Academia, it’s this arc that has a lot of examples… A lot. While I’m aware and understand that this is a TV-14 rated show, it’s still in the manga and it should be represented to keep it faithful. The violence was toned more down with Giran’s bruises, to Toga’s bloody face from Curious, Shigaraki getting his fingers snapped off, and finally to the one picture above where Re-Destro’s legs were chopped off to save himself from decaying from Shigaraki’s quirk. The final scene with Re-Destro bowing to Shigaraki as his new leader was so chilling yet so cool in the Manga. It’s cool in the anime, But we could have had much more of it if it wasn’t toned down. It just feel like a cop out and lazy on Bone’s part…

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In Conclusion:

After the scenes I talked about, Everything is almost pretty much the same in the anime as in the manga as well, leaving my talk of the Meta Liberation Army Arc closing.

While I’m thankful for Bones Studio animating the anime I love, I feel frustration with how they handle not only the Meta Liberation Army but characters that are not as popular to fans or the main characters, Villains or not. Bones Studio usually will focus on characters that are more popular and give them as much screen time as they can while depriving others who aren’t as popular with scraps. (If you also notice, Throughout my talk, I had no complains of Geten’s scenes because he was usually seen with Dabi who is considered a popular character. So Geten’s scenes remain in tact because Bones knows Dabi is popular)

What caused them to do what they did to the Meta Liberation Army in the anime adaptation is beyond me? Whether it’s simply not caring about them, putting more focus, time, and money on characters that are more popular, Someone even theorized it was to put the budget of animation on the filler episodes or the movie that was coming up at the time. Whether it was, the fact that the characters I love were discarded and basically fans either don’t know or don’t like/care about the MLA and/or Arc, Hurts because THIS IS MY FAVORITE ARC. And I’ll be damned if I lie and say it isn’t because a lot of people say otherwise.

Whether anime or not, The MLA and the arc will still remain my favorite even if the studio working on doesn’t think so. These are characters I love and value a lot when it comes to My Hero Academia. But with how the Meta Liberation Army was handled and continued to be handled in the anime to this day is just frustrating. In Conclusion, Bones Studio do better…

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[youhideastar]

Fangs of Fortune: A Primer

I keep hoping someone funnier or better with images than me will write a primer for this show, but I haven’t seen it yet, so it’s looking like I’m going to have to be the propaganda I want to see in the world.

Fangs of Fortune is a 34.5-episode drama that takes place in Ancient Fantasy China, split between the human world and the Wilderness (home of the yao/demons). You can watch it on iQiyi or YouTube. There will be some spoilers below, mostly for early episodes; photos here are from official production stills/promos. As far as I can tell, Fangs of Fortune is a (successful) attempt to get a m/m romantic pairing past the censors by giving the dudes a(n also-queer) female love interest as well, which is neat. The show cares way more about the characters than about the plot, so I’m going to follow suit, starting with…

Zhao Yuanzhou, a.k.a. Zhu Yan

30,000-year-old suicidal Great Demon with suave DILF energy, sky-high self-confidence, and rock-bottom self-worth. 8 years before the show opens, he was possessed by malicious energy and killed a ton of people, including the only living relatives (father and brother) of this guy:

Zhuo Yichen

24-year-old swordsman and demon hunter (head of the Demon Hunting Bureau, in fact), who wears the most beautiful costumes of all time, has sworn to avenge his family, and happens to be in possession of the only weapon that can kill the aforementioned Great Demon Zhao Yuanzhou—if only he knew how to use it.

On the dynamic between Zhao Yuanzhou and Zhuo Yichen, which is the driving force of this show, I can’t do better than this post and this post – please go read them, you will not regret it. In the meantime, please enjoy some homoerotic violent hand-holding.

Zhao Yuanzhou shows up at the Demon Hunting Bureau very sexily and offers to teach Zhuo Yichen to use said weapon, if Zhuo Yichen will (a) swear to kill him with it once they’re done, and (b) in the meantime, let Zhao Yuanzhou join the demon hunting crew. Specifically, he demands to be paired up with this lady:

Wen Xiao

Scholar, demon hunter, Zhuo Yichen’s sort-of foster sister, and technically the Baize Goddess, guardian of the Wilderness… but when her predecessor as Baize Goddess died, she couldn’t complete the transfer of her powers to Wen Xiao, leaving Wen Xiao unable to do the job, and sickly to boot. Wen Xiao compensates by being smarter, more socially adept, and more mentally healthy than everyone else in this cast… although I will grant that’s a low bar to clear.

While recruiting a crew to go after a pesky water demon, Wen Xiao runs into…

Pei Sijing

Stoic archer who recently retired from demon-hunting after she had to kill her own brother; target of Wen Xiao’s very persistent affections.

Here they are being cute together:

Congratulations, you have now met the polycule! There are also two comic-relief teenagers (with obligatory difficult backstories) and two villains, one of whom is boring and will be ignored, and one of whom is Zhao Yuanzhou’s human-hating mall goth demon ex-boyfriend Li Lun, as seen below:

There is not really an overarching plot: in general, the plot is driven by the desire to get Wen Xiao fully powered-up as the Baize Goddess so that she can fix stuff that has gone wrong in the Wilderness, but after a certain point, most plot arcs are driven by problems caused in the previous plot arc. The writers are way more invested in putting the characters in Situations that will crunch them up against each other in interesting ways than in having a coherent plot or worldbuilding. Fortunately, they are very good at writing these characters reacting to each other in Situations, so it works out.

Why should you watch this show? First, it is delightfully gay and there is great fic for it, which you will get more out of if you’re familiar with canon (but don’t let that stop you from diving in now…). Second, the writers are really good at building compelling relationships between characters, romantic and otherwise, and in particular, they have a gift for writing two-character dialogue scenes and cute banter. Third, damn, this is maybe the most visually beautiful show I’ve ever seen in my life. The costumes, in particular, are unbelievable.

Are there downsides? Yeah, candidly, you are going to spend a chunk of the first third of the show sitting through long flashbacks that I call The Ponderous Tragic Backstories of the Het Guest Stars when all you want to do is get back to the main characters. Don’t worry, the whole show is not like this. It happens four times (three toward the beginning and once toward the end). And at least even the Ponderous Tragic Backstories of the Het Guest Stars are still very pretty to look at.

Anyway – check it out! Ask me if you have questions! Correct me if I goofed on anything! See you in Queer Poly Ancient Fantasy China!

(Edited to correct the number of episodes, thank you, @kandadze!)

[oldphanny]

How To Block Terrible Influence Tour Spoilers (Tumblr App)

Hello phriends and phamily!

Tit is starting in less than 24 hours!!!

I don't know if someone has already done this post, but I know there has been an influx of new phannies crossing over from different platforms as of late.

So I thought I would show you all how to block the #titspoilers tag from your dash. This tut is for the Tumblr App because that's just what I use, I would assume the website would be a similar process!

If you are someone that doesn't want the show to be spoiled before you see it for yourself, follow these steps!!

STEP 1

Let's start from the dashboard to make it easy.

Go ahead and press the profile button on the bottom right hand side of the screen, the one that looks like a little guys torso. This will take you to your blog!

STEP 2

Now you should be looking at your blog (hey look that's me!)

In the top right hand corner should be a little gear icon, these are your settings! Go for it!

STEP 3

Oooo my blogs backroom... you should have let me know you were coming... I would have cleaned up a bit.

Now go and hit the 'Account Settings' button which should be the first on the list!

STEP 4

You're doing great! We're almost there!!

Now you'll want to tap on the 'Content You See' option which will be below 'Mentions' and above 'Color Palette'. Sorry, I forgot an arrow on this one.

STEP 5

WE'RE HERE! As you can see, I already have the tags I want censored ready to go but here is how you can add your own.

Right up the top next to the 'Filtered Tags' heading is a '+New' button, tap that!

STEP 6

Now you can type out the tag you want to be hidden and click 'add'. Remember to type them out and add individually otherwise it won't work.

From what I can gather, the Tumblr Phandom is agreeing that all Tit Spoilers should be tagged #titspoilers. I've added some other variations to be extra safe but you do whatever works for you :).

And that should be it!! If you have any other questions, let me know. Otherwise I hope this has helped some people that may not have known or were too afraid to ask <3 Love y'all, let's all enjoy tit together!!

[yuespropagandablog]

Hello esteemed mutual. If you are reading this, then that means my propaganda is working. But you might still have questions, so I am here to answer them.

What is Falsettos?

A damn good musical.

But time to get serious. It's a sung-through musical written by William Finn and James Lapine, with Lapine also writing the music and lyrics. Falsettos is a two-act musical, like many, but it's important here because Falsettos is actually two musicals in one. The first act is March of the Falsettos, and the second act is Falsettoland. These are the last two installments of the Marvin Trilogy. The first part, In Trousers, flopped on off-Broadway and is also not part of Falsettos. Are you following?

The first acts centers on a Jewish man named Marvin (the main character of the Marvin Trilogy, who would've thought) and his homosexual relation with Whizzer, and how that impacts the family. He's left his wife Trina and son Jason to be with Whizzer, but Marvin is also Marvin, and loves to have a tight-knit family that includes all of them, but fails to see how his wish impacts the others. The second act takes place two years after the first and it's all about Jason's bar mitzvah, but oh, oh no, it's a homosexual story set in the 80s. Yeah folks, I am going to be upfront: this musical does not have a happy ending. Spoiler. I know. But I just want people to know what they're getting themselves into.

The show has a lot to say about gay life in the 70s and 80s, gender roles and masculinity, traditional family, illness, and Judaism. Yes, you cannot separate the Judaism from this show, no matter how hard a Spanish production tries.

Where can I watch it?

The original Falsettos debuted in 1992 on Broadway. I know it from its 2016 Broadway revival. There are, uh, slime tutorials for both (and also for In Trousers if you're interested), and the 2016 version also got a proshot that was aired on PBS, so they did have to censor some language. RIP "You save lives and I save chicken fat, I can't fucking deal with that", you will forever be missed. This link totally definitely does not lead to a YouTube upload of that proshot, what do you mean?

There are also a bunch of other productions, sometimes with footage, sometimes not. I actually saw the Dutch version in 2021 in Amsterdam (probably while I had COVID, but in my defense, I tested negative before I boarded my train!)

Is there a trailer or something?

Yes, here's a trailer for the proshot.

Here is their Tony performance, which is also my favourite song of the show:

(They did take out the "Lighbulb up the ass" and "I can't fucking deal with that", because America is America. But at least we got Andrew Rannell's boner in return?)

And for funsies, here's the Tony Awards performance of the OBC:

(They did censor the words "homosexuals" and "lesbians", unless that was the original lyrics. I dunno. I am not very familiar with the original one.)

You implied AIDS. Are there other content warnings?

Yes. AIDS will be the main theme of the second act. You can ignore it by just turning off the show after the song What More Can I Say, but that is obviously not the full show. There's also some period-typical homophobia, as in in act one, Jason is afraid that his father's homosexuality is a fatal hereditary disease. There are also a lot of dysfunctional relationship dynamics in act one, including one instance of physical abuse. Act two has the AIDS of it all and because of that, the major character death warning.

But is there also fun to be had?

Yes, definitely! One thing that makes Falsettos a good show is the tonal whipslash. Both act one and act two start out as the funniest shit you've ever seen and then BAM, drama. It is kind of impressive how the show does that. It has stellar comedic songs like Four Jews in a Room Bitching, My Father's A Homo/Everyone Tells Jason to See a Psychiatrist, I'm Breaking Down, Jason's Therapy, Year of the Child, Miracle of Judaism, The Baseball Game, A Day in Falsettoland, Everybody Hates His Parents and whatever the fuck March of the Falsettos (the song) is.

The first half of both acts you can't stop laughing and the second half of both acts you can't stop crying. That's Falsettos, baby!

Does the music slap?

Oh yeah. It is a fully sung-through musical. If that's not your jam, then you're better off skipping it. It also has a more "traditional" musical theatre sound, whatever that might mean. As you saw in the previous section, it has a lot of great comedic songs, with stellar lyrics like "Look, look, look, look, look, it's a lesbian from next door!/Followed by her lover who's a lesbian from next door too!", "Hepa-hepa-hepatitis-hepatitis?", "We're watching Jewish boys who cannot play baseball play baseball", "You have paintings of dicks!/Don't talk to me about taste!", "Lightbulbs in the ass!", the entire "You are going to kill your mother" section, "Homosexuals!!!!!" and of course the opening line of the entire show "Four Jews in a room bitching". And many more. But don't be fooled, because this song also has some emotional bangers (mostly in the second part of the acts due to the aforementioned tonal shift).

Are there German characters in this musical?

Mendel's last name Weisenbachfeld sounds German. Is that close enough?

[just-your-average-supervillain]

Some thoughts from LCB Regular Checkup. Spoilers below.

I'm a big fan of how Pride's theme of self-deception played a part in Hohenheim's dungeon; his initial seeming control over himself and ability to simply hurry the Sinners through the dungeon giving way to the realization that no, his censorship of his memories and of the facts therein is simply a greater part of the theme; his refusal to acknowledge the pain he's in and desire to simply paper it over and play up his own arrogance to avoid thinking about his humanity.

Absolutely hilarious to see Faust have someone that she genuinely dislikes. Faust's constant need to point out that he's not better than her really re-iterates that despite her growing fondness for the Sinners and new willingness to step away from Gesellschaft's knowledge, she still does find a great degree of pride in her abilities.

We finally get an explanation for the comment of the Sinners getting weaker upon joining! Due to the nature of the Golden Boughs, all of the Sinners are reduced to the level of the weakest among them, i.e. Sinclair (or now, Yi Sang).

Once again, Outis attempts to establish a pecking order with her at the top due to individual strength... which then gets toppled by the reminder that Don Quixote can, if not rival, then at least tire out Vergilius.

It's interesting to see that Hohenheim is also aware of the "flow" of the world, and even more interesting that Faust (or, more likely, Gesellschaft) censored him when he began talking about how it was the "flow" that willed Dante to be unharmed. (Is Dante protected by fate or something?)

Also, the consideration of how powerful Dante was prior to their amnesia, and the dismissal of the idea that they could be strong, is kinda disappointing given my belief in @calmariah's "Dante is Bari" theory.

Limbus Company assisting an up-and-coming potential Wing with their goals to overthrow and replace W Corp is kind of neat, especially now that it gives us an excuse to traverse the entire City through the gateways without needing the whole song and dance of another WARP Train.

Gregor's body making weird noises, and the comment from Hohenheim excluding him from the lineup of power levels due to his body's "potential"... it seems we're really bringing back stuff from the first few Cantos.

The particulars of which Sinner groups face which Peccatulum probably merits an analysis, along with Hohenheim's descriptor of what each Sin means (Hong Lu and Sinclair with Wrath, Gregor, Faust, and Meursault with Sloth, Yi Sang and Don Quixote with Envy, Ryoshu and Ishmael with Pride and Lust, and Outis, Heathcliff, and Rodion with Gluttony and Gloom).

Hey, Hong Lu? What did you mean by your passion and rage being extinguished?

Hey, Outis? Why are you so concerned about things like setting off a Wing war and getting a threat level from the Hana Association?

While I'm still not entirely sure, I feel like having an Intervallo dedicated to a guy who used to be a researcher at Lobotomy Corporation and not having Faust be mentioned in connection to it makes me feel like the "Faust has a past with Lobotomy Corporation" theory is probably not gonna come to pass.

It's kind of sad, but also probably for the best, that the compounded thirst and curse means that Don Quixote can't just take of Rocinante and solve problems via the Second Kindred's sheer power.

[djullyreviews]

Why doesn’t anyone talk about Dr. Stone anymore?

Text without spoilers!! Text with adapted translation from Portuguese Brazil to English! Text with personal opinion!

Text revised in 15/03/2025

I decided to rewatch the anime when I realized I really wanted to know how it all ended! From the very beginning, I was intrigued by the mystery that ties the whole story together: why did everyone in the world turn to stone?

Since then, I’ve ended up watching the entire first season, and now here I am, following the release of the fourth season. It’s amazing to see that the story continued far beyond the first season, but then I remembered one key factor working in its favor—it’s a shounen anime, after all!

I loved Cassanova Posse so much, thks ALI !!!

IT PROMISED NOTHING AT FIRST, BUT IT’S DELIVERING HOT MEN AND FUN.

Well then. I don’t think I was the only one who considered dropping the series after that scene where Ruri took the antibiotic. It was downright bizarre—even hardcore shounen fans seemed to find it odd (really???). I vaguely remember people on social media trying to "cancel" the series for a few reasons: the way the bodies were drawn and those hypersexualized scenes at questionable moments.

I suspect that scene caused some backlash. Word must have reached Boichi, the writer, and the anime’s production studio. A drastic change is noticeable in the first season—those strange camera angles on female characters, which were everywhere in the early episodes, were almost completely toned down.

That’s not to say the anime doesn’t have sexy and sexualized female characters. It still follows the classic shounen formula: big breasts, thin waists, curvy figures, and beautiful women. However, they cut so many of the unnecessary hypersexualized scenes of female characters that they were left with… hypersexualized male characters instead. And that trend clearly continued throughout the seasons—cue the diving scenes with sunlit, bare male butts (and much more).

It made me wonder if this is just Boichi’s artistic style—sexualizing both male and female bodies. I have no idea what kind of hentai or adult works he’s drawn before, but this tendency is noticeable in Dr. Stone, even though the series itself is far from adult content.

This excess of male nudity must have felt strange to some viewers—especially those who were watching for the female characters. If that was the main appeal for them… well, tough luck. The anime seems to have shifted away from its original target male audience and ended up captivating the female audience instead.

Each new character is a man with a handsome face (with a few exceptions), a perfect body, and a striking personality. Meanwhile, very few new female characters have joined Senku’s nerd club.

"There's no heterosexual explanation for this"

The straight couples were confirmed by the authors but received little attention. Meanwhile, the number of scenes featuring men doing and saying brotherly things… well, let’s just say it only got more intense with each new season. I started this anime thinking the target audience was men, but by the end, I felt like I was the target audience.

Gen's entire existence feels almost too sugary for a shounen series—especially with that velvety voice every time he calls out "Senku-chan"… And then Stanley and Xeno show up, delivering gay-coded content faster than the last BL series I read.

Ryuusui has openly stated—twice—that he’s bisexual (at least according to Crunchyroll’s translation). Honestly, I’m surprised that wasn’t censored on Japanese TV.

Too many events to mention here...........

THE APEX OF ABSURDITY IN THE WORK

One of the goals of this post is to encourage everyone to watch Dr. Stone and give the anime a second chance. Let’s gooo!!!

The authors fully embrace the height of absurdity in the events:

Do you know DanDanDan? That’s right, a popular shounen with a supernatural theme where totally absurd events unfold, and the author uses the bizarre to drive the story and draw his manga.

Dr. Stone isn’t all that different in this regard. The theme changes—science, physics, mathematics, chemistry, and the like are the weapons used to write these events. They’re so absurd that they end up being ridiculously funny.

Watching Dr. Stone is almost the same experience: silly, light, and funny at times. It’s something you watch without needing to think too hard to understand what’s being proposed (and you usually get a few quick science lessons from Senku).

The protagonist isn’t boring by default; he’s a nerd:

Our onion-loving nerd is far from being the most boring protagonist I’ve seen in shounen manga (I’ve seen worse). While we have our darling Okarin, the ufology nerd, here we get Senku—living and breathing science in every single episode.

Unusual character design:

Boichi did a fantastic job with the character designs. He delivers the basics really well, whether it’s the villains or the protagonists.

I’ll admit, Boichi’s style isn’t my personal favorite, but I can’t deny that he does his job as a mangaka very well.

Stop being hypocrites about the bodies in Dr. Stone while still consuming other popular animes that do the same (or worse):

Let’s be real. Stop complaining about the character designs in Dr. Stone when there are other popular animes out there that do the exact same thing, if not worse. I don’t see people trying to “cancel” those.

I didn’t think the ending was bad at all (no spoilers):

I decided to look up the series’ ending just to prepare myself for any possible disappointment. After quickly browsing the internet, I’ll be honest: it’s not bad at all (I’ve seen much worse endings out there).

In this case, I’d recommend everyone do the same—research the ending at your own risk. Personally, it didn’t discourage me from watching the anime until the end. I’m already hooked on the characters, and now there’s no turning back (they’re also some of the hottest characters).

SO WHY DID DR. STONE'S AUDIENCE DISAPPEAR??

With each episode I watched, I kept asking myself the same question.

Maybe it was because of the initial choices made in the first season (the first arc), and many people ended up dropping the show right then and there.

It’s possible that the hypersexualized scenes involving girls in the early episodes turned people off.

Maybe the male audience found it strange to see so many naked male bodies and not a single naked female character.

I also suspect that the show’s shift to focus more on the female audience, which is likely the majority of those who buy and consume the show today, may have led to some silent treatment.

Another thing I didn’t get was whether the absurdity of certain events was intentional from the start. It was only in the second season that I realized it was. Many people must have dropped the show because of that.

Many viewers are also bothered by the inclusion of the possibility of gay, bisexual, lesbian, and asexual characters. There are a lot of predatory anime/manga out there where characters do homosexual things, but the authors will never make it official. Dr. Stone seems to fall into that category as well.

So why do I see such a small community around Dr. Stone on social media? Why doesn’t it get talked about more? Could it be because of the issues I mentioned above? Or is there something else I’m not aware of?

Many anime currently being released meet these requirements, and Dr. Stone does too, so it’s a mystery why it’s rarely discussed on social media.

In the end, Dr. Stone is this chaotic mix of science, absurdity, and character design that somehow makes perfect sense in its own quirky way. It’s not your typical shounen, and maybe that’s why it didn’t have the same impact as other series. It’s eccentric, and let’s be honest, who doesn’t love a show where you learn chemistry while watching handsome guys argue about whether humanity should go back to its old ways or forge a new path after the petrification? Sure, the hypersexualized scenes and occasional weirdness might turn some people off, but if we’re honest, Dr. Stone delivers something a lot more refreshing than the usual predictable clichés. So why isn’t it taking over social media? Maybe it’s just another case of the reasons I mentioned before—or maybe, just maybe, the otaku crowd isn’t ready for shounen with a more scientific focus. Either way, I’m here for it, appreciating when shows step outside the "usual" in the shounen category.

I appreciate any and all support for this blog I created. Likes, reblogs, or recommending it to others are a huge help. See you in the next post!

[lesbiansforboromir]

Here's a more compact review of the War of the Rohirrim film for anyone interested! SPOILERS AHEAD!!

Positives;

The backgrounds were all very beautifully painted and the lighting really elevated the character design and smoothed over the janky animation. Where other aspects of the film fall off, often the background artistry and lighting over all of it still manages to convey a very dramatic and immersive moment to the viewer. It's probably the best part of the film.

The part where Helm's ice-ghost phase is teased was really cool and atmospheric and I got a little thrill of what I'd kind of always been wanting from this film.

Frealaf was pretty lovely (what little we got of him) and I appreciated that his darker skin tone was implicitely associated with his Gondorian heritage. I THINK I appreciate the idea that Frealaf's father was Gondorian, though I wish it had been better utilised.

I also really liked the moment where Helm is about to fight Freca and he gives his crown, signet ring and mantle over to Frealaf in this like... symbolic giving up of his Kingship in this moment where his actions are about to make him unworthy of it.

I appreciated Olwyn existing as an older female character in a purely action based roll.

Helm's voice actor and design were pretty cool, I came around to enjoying how much effort they put into making him extremely imposing.

Hama being a twink who was born to be a bard but forced to be a heroic second prince was a nice touch.

General Targg of Dunland might have been my favourite character, inspite of the fact that I am really curious to know where this organised military of Dunland is for him to reach the rank of 'General' in.

Negatives;

Gurl the racism. See here for more details.

The overall narrative seems to me direly lacking in like... basis. I am lead to believe Hera's journey is about her reclaiming her right to choose her own life for herself. But she is never actually pressured into any choice, nor does it appear that her father ever restricted her freedom in any way. So I don't really see where her choices were actually removed to such a degree. If her desire is to see her choices respected by the men in her life, well that never happens for either Helm nor Wulf, who force her to let them die or to kill them, respectively. It feels like in their rush to censor any negative aspects of Helm they kind of removed the reason Hera is frustrated in the first place, he cant be TOO much of a misogynist etc etc.

This is twisted up within 'gurl the racism' but Wulf's manner and presentation make me FEEL like he is a villain we are supposed to mildly feel for? We see him as a child, we see him struggle with what he's doing, we see his clear desperation and despair and hear him talk about loneliness and suffering... but at the end of the day in the way that it is presented Wulf is fundamentally foul and deluding himself and all his problems appear to be of his own making. In general it is extremely uncomfortable for the 'obsessive stalker' villain to also every now and then say 'I am devastated because of how my dunlending blood has been prejudiced against all my life by your family and the wider rohir society' like... by only him mentioning it but it never being actually acknowledged by anyone else it just comes across so shallow and unsettling.

This is a review from my book-biased perspective so understand it within that lense but still gurl... the lore. What the hell do you mean the eagles speak a language only a wizard can understand? No they can just speak! What do you mean there is A watcher in the water in some undisclosed lake in Rohan somewhere? There is one Watcher and it's name is very specific to the doomed Moria expedition! At least give this new squid fellow a rohir name. Speaking of!!

IS IT SO HARD TO NAME ROHIR CHARACTERS IN..... ROHIRRIC?? OLD ENGLISH IS RIGHT THERE... HERA HAS NO MEANING... THERE ARE SO MANY COOL HISTORICAL ANGLO SAXON PRINCESSES YOU COULD CHOOSE FROM...

Included in the 'gurl, the lore' segment but in need of it's own post so I will try to be brief; (Theoden voice) where was Gondor... when a herd of Mumakil were marched by Haradrim mercenaries across the Anduin, up through the Pelennor, across Calenadhon and over Rohan's southern border... did they sneak by... were they stealth Mumakil, did they have elven cloaks too.

But also Where Was Gondor just in general. Like to the detriment of the actual narrative, opening up plot holes that didn't even need to be there, the fact that Gondor is ALSO supposed to be at war right now is completely ignored and discarded.

THE BATTLE OF EDORAS... TF ARE YOU ALL DOING! Like I know it is kind of hypocritical of me to request sensible war tactics when we're adapting Tolkien, he did not give a good example, but like... where were the horse archers, why are you charging down an infantry-only army, why even be on a horse if you aren't going to use greater mobility to your advantage, this isn't a siege, this is YOUR territory this is an open field!! Come on! AND ANOTHER THING, did we really have to make the victory of the Dunlendings over Edoras so disconnected from their own effort? Like betrayal is fine, but this was also a well supplied and competant force, and that was a major part of their victory. These were matched combatants! Just kind of another way in which the dunlendings were robbed of any cohesive motive, narrative or skill.

To my admittedly untrained eye... the animation sucks? Like it's clunky and janky and you can see the frames transitioning between each other, the movements often feel awkward and a lot of the drawings are just bad! The Eagles are SO stiff, as are the horses which seems like a cardinal sin in the Horse Lord Film. And then I couple that with the multiple completely unnecessary spinning camera shots Hera gets which are annoying, superfluous and a bizarre thing to spend time on when the rest of the film needs so much more care and attention. In general the GULF of difference between how beautiful the backgrounds are vs how bland the character art is is kind of jarring.

Hera's design.... I hate it. Look I know it's anime but DID Hera have to have thigh high boots... did she really... Why is she so pale if she's supposedly riding sleeveless across the vast countryside everyday? Can a single supposedly feminist film about a 'wild' female protagonist let that woman be like... dirty, or not so agonisingly thin, or give her messy or god forbid short hair. At one point when she is grabbed by a troll and hung in the air they linger uncomfortably long on her ass which her costume design is specifically designed to allow for maximum viewing detail.

The designs of the Dunlendings, Haradrim and especially the Mumakil are all so grim. Like I liked Freca's design to a degree, it was more potent with symbolism and patterning and such, but the rest of it is just SO FUCKIN- well they're ugly! and therefore evil! Do you get it? The ugly grey animalistic people are evil! The Mumakil have literal red snake eyes just so you know they're 'evil animals'. I can't take it anymore, at one point the guy who Eomer throws a spear at in the trilogy just... turns up, like it's literally just him down to the facepaint. And speaking of...

SHUT UP ABOUT THE PJ TRILOGY, SHUT UP AB- besties this film's intro plays alongside the ring theme... THE RING MUSICAL THEME!!!!?? Lines from the films are reused so often and so WILDLY outside of their actual context and meaning that it makes me flinch.

There is a plump little fellow called Leif who is the royal Page I think and everytime someone called Freca fat in such a vitriolic way I was like wow... I mean Leif is right there guys!

Overall a 4/10 from me, it is a watcheable but shallow film that I suspect was more of a cynical attempt by Warner Bros to keep their death grip on the rights to the books, since I think they would have expired if they didn't do something with them soon.